Pokemon: Contest Chronicles
by MisterAnimeFan
Summary: May part ways with Ash Ketchum to follow her rivals to Johto. After arriving in New Bark Town, she meets her old rivals Harley and Drew and a new rival by the name of Jahan. Contestshipping! May x Drew!
1. A Cruise of Galactic Proportions! Part 1

"Pokemon Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

Yo, welcome to another fanfiction created by yours truly! Obviously, I've reentered the Pokémon craze when I bought a Nintendo DS and Pokémon Pearl.

Anyway, I've done hundreds (literally _hundreds_) of Pokémon adventure fanfictions, but none of them ever reach (then again, I was 9 and didn't know it existed). So, this story is based on the pictures that I saw recently (don't know where). It shows May in Professor Elm's lab with a Chikorita. I thought that it might be a good fanfiction idea (especially since the Contestshipping is very popular with fans on fanfiction dot net).

**WHO:** May x Drew (Contestshipping)

**WHAT: **May part ways with Ash Ketchum to follow her rivals to Johto. After arriving in New Bark Town, she meets her old rivals Harley and Drew and a new rival by the name of Jahan.

**WHERE: **The Johto Region

**WHEN: **April 2007

**NOTE: **This story is rated "T" for mild language.

-Sorry for "over-gaying" Harley a bit. I did not do it intentionally.

-_Anything in italics means that Pokémon are talking._

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Pokémon or its respective games and TV shows, spin-offs, etc. They are all owned by Nintendo Co. However, I do own Pokémon Blue, Gold, Silver, Crystal, Ruby (soon Emerald), and Pearl.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

**LOCATION: Cherrygrove City**

The S.S. Tidal has just arrived from Slateport City to Cherrygrove City, the Town where new winds of a new beginning blow. Many Pokémon Trainers and Coordinators come to the Johto region to fulfill that town motto. Some of them are trainers coming for new challenges, such as challenging gym leaders they never met before. Recently, Pokémon Contests have found their way into Johto. Contest Halls have been placed in Azalea Town, Goldenrod City, Cianwood City, Mahogany Town, and Blackthorn City.

The Contest Halls is what attracts great Coordinators like Harley, Drew, and May. Speaking of whom, May was just getting off the S.S. Tidal and was setting foot on Johto ground. She had new clothes that were similar to her old clothes, but they had more green on them (similar to her Pokémon Emerald attire). She brought her Blaziken, Munchlax, Squirtle, and her Eevee. She took a whiff of the air. "I never thought I see this," May said. "Hello Johto!" Of course, it wasn't easy getting to Johto.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

**LOCATION: Petalburg City Gym**

"Vigoroth, use Fury Swipes!" Norman shouted. The hyper energetic Vigoroth then began clawing violently at the trainer's Marshtomp. Marshtomp was send flying back to the trainer. "Alright dad!" Max shouted.

"Good move, honey!" Caroline shouted.

"Come on, Marshtomp!" his trainer shouted. "Get up!" Marshtomp tried his very best. He was soon able to get to his feet. But one has to wonder how much longer he can keep fighting. Marshtomp got to his feet and was ready to battle once more. "Alright Marshtomp, use Mud Shot!" his trainer shouted.

Marshtomp began shooting clumps of mud at Vigoroth. "Vigoroth, dodge it and then use Focus Punch!" Norman shouted. Vigoroth swiftly moved out of the Mud Shot's way, got his claws into a fist, and landed a nice hit on Marshtomp's cheek. Marshtomp again was sent flying back to the wall and was knocked out. "Marshtomp is unable to battle," the referee shouted. "The winner of this battle is Gym Leader Norman and Vigoroth!"

"Alright dad!" Max shouted.

"That was a great battle," May said.

The trainer tended to his Marshtomp's wounds. "Are you okay, Marshtomp?" the trainer asked.

"Marsh…tomp," Marshtomp said, weakly. The trainer then looked at Norman. "I must admit, you are one strong trainer!" he said.

"You were very close to defeating me. I'm surprised that you even got through my Slaking," Norman said.

"Watch! Next time, I'm going to be stronger than ever, and I'll win my Balance Badge!"

"I can't wait 'til then!" Norman said. The trainer soon left to take his hurt Marshtomp to the city's Pokémon Center.

May then gets up from her seat. "Well, I better finish packing up for the trip," she said.

"Oh," Norman said. "You're leaving tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I have to catch the next ferry from Littleroot Town by tomorrow," May said. She then went into her room to finish packing. Max and Caroline noticed the look on Norman's face. "Are you alright?" Caroline asked.

"Of course I am," Norman said. "I just didn't think she was leaving so soon."

"I know you're still dealing with this, but you must come to grips that your daughter's a Coordinator."

"I know," Norman said, sounding disappointed.

Suddenly, a scream came from May's room. In her room, Munchlax was lying near her bed. His stomach was all full and he was snoozing. Potato chip and cookie crumbs lay around him. "Munchlax, you ate all of my food!" May shouted.

"Munch?" he asked, slightly raising his head up.

"Great! Now I have to pack more food," May said, angrily.

A few minutes later, May has packed everything she need into her new bag. "Let's see, Potions, food, a berry pouch…I think that's everything," May said.

"Munch?" Munchlax said, tapping her leg with a Poké Block Case.

"I knew you would remember that," May said. She took the Poké Block Case and put it in her bag. She was looking around for her Ribbons case. "Munchlax, you haven't seen my Ribbons case, have you?" May asked.

"Munch," Munchlax said, nodding his head.

"I could've sworn that I had it somewhere," May said. "It's probably underneath the bed."

She got on her knees and began searching underneath her bed. She dug her way through some trash and junk until she touched something metal. "I think I found it," she said. She fished it out, but instead of a ribbons case, it was her old Badges case that her father gave her.

This was back to when she really didn't like Pokémon and only became a trainer so that she could travel the world. But on the way from Petalburg City to Rustboro City (with Ash, Max, and Brock at side) she then discovered Pokémon Contest and that's when she decided to become a Pokémon Coordinator. But her father expected her to become a Pokémon Trainer to challenge gym leaders and earn badges. When Ash and group came back to Petalburg City to challenge Norman for a gym battle, she never really explained to Norman that she wanted to be a Coordinator, so she didn't bring it up. When she got back and told her father that she wanted to go to Johto for the Pokémon Contests, she and Norman haven't really talked in a while.

May sighed and put the Badge Case back under her bed. Munchlax then tapped her arm with another metal case. "Hm?" she asked.

"Munchlax," he said, with a metal case in his hands.

"Thanks Munchlax, but that's not my Ribbons case," May said. Munchlax looked disappointed.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

**THE NEXT MORNING…**

The whole family drove to Littleroot Town Harbor, where the S.S. Tidal was docked. Many Pokémon Trainers and Coordinators alike board the ship for a new adventure in a new region.

"Well, there's the ship!" May said.

"Whoa, it's pretty big," Max said.

"Lot of people here," Norman said.

"Thank you," the host said.

"I'm so sad that you have to leave us again so soon," Caroline said.

"Don't worry mom," May said. "I'll be fine."

A ding-dong noise can be heard from the loudspeakers. "_Attention all Pokémon Trainers and Coordinators, the S.S. Tidal will be leaving to Johto in one hour. Please go through boarding procedure if you have done so already._"

"I better get going," May said. She turned to her family. "Well, I guess this is yet another good-bye."

"Good-bye, honey!" Caroline said.

"Have fun in Johto, sis!" Max said. May then turned to her dad. Norman noticed this. "May…go out there and give it your best," he said. May just smiled. "Thanks dad," May said. May gave her hugs and kisses to her family before heading towards the front desk.

"Welcome to the S.S. Tidal," he said. "May I please see some identification?" May hands over her Trainer ID to the front desk person. "Already then," he said. He then took out a small camera. "Smile please," he said.

"Huh?" May asked. Soon, her picture was taken. "Thank you," he said. He then handed May a new card. "This is your ship identification card. This allows you access to the arcade, free food, drinks, room service, ping-pong tables, and internet service on the ship. Enjoy your cruise to Johto!"

"Yeah thanks," May said, looking at her I.D. picture. Her picture came out really horrible, since she was caught off-guard. "Great," she said.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

Meanwhile, a group of four was wearing suspicious overcoats and they had some strange hairdos. They walked up to the metal detectors and placed their Poké Balls and metal objects in the tray and one of them put their suitcases on the conveyor belt. The first three were able to get across, but the last one set off the alarm. The other three got worried as the security guards stopped him from crossing. "Standard procedure, spread your legs," they said, demandingly. The fourth guy did as he was told and let the guards frisk him for anything dangerous. One of the guards felt something in his pocket and pulled it out. It was…an IPod? "I like my music, okay?" the fourth guy said.

"Really? What do you listen to?" the guard asked.

"Um…um," the guy mumbled. "Oldies, you know. Aerosmith, Barry Manilow."

"That's what I'm talking about," the guard said. He then waved him thought.

"Jupiter, you almost got us caught!"

"Oh shut up, Mars!"

"Hey, knock it off! We're getting on the ship now! Our plan is coming along perfectly!"

"Neptune is right! We have much to celebrate after this!" The four then continued walking onto the ship.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

"Wow!" May said, as she gazed upon the magnificent architecture of the main lobby. "This place is so beautiful!" Inside, a seashell chandelier hung from the ceiling, lighting up the piano playing classical music and a bar serving drinks of all kinds (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Some Pokémon were let out of their Poké Balls and were enjoying the ambience with their trainers. "This place looks pretty cool," May said. She then grabbed her Blaziken's Poké Ball and let him out. "Isn't this place great?" May asked her Pokémon.

"Blaziken," he replied.

"Let's check out what it looks like from the top deck," May said.

She and Blaziken walked all the way up to the 'limbo' deck as many people called it. On the top deck, there was a few battle arenas, a jogging track, a 24/7 ice cream and pizza stand, and a lounging deck by the pool. May looked over the boat railings. She could see the dock and everybody working to get everyone's luggage on board. She could see her family on the pier as well as everyone else boarding.

Then, someone creeped up behind her. "Well, that face seems familiar," said a voice.

"And that Blaziken is familiar too," said another voice. May knew those voices instantly. She turned around. "Drew? Harley?" she asked.

"Hi ya May!" Harley said. "It looks like someone is lost. Don't you know only people that are going to Johto can be on this ship."

"I am going to Johto," May said.

"_What? She stole my idea!_" Harley thought.

"You're going to Johto too?" Drew asked.

"You know she stole the idea from me! Copycat!" Harley said.

"No, I just wanted to go to Johto so that I can perform in the Pokémon Contests," May said.

"Well then, it's nice to meet some old rivals," Drew said.

"It's nice seeing you too Drew!" May said.

"So May, have you improved since we last met?" Drew asked.

"You bet! I bet I can beat you now!"

"We'll see about that," Drew said.

"Surely she can't beat me or Cacturne," Harley said.

"Oh yeah! Just wait until we get to Johto so that I can beat you in a Pokémon Contest."

"I doubt that, hon," Harley said.

**20 MINUTES LATER…**

"Ladies and gentlemen, Pokémon trainer and coordinators alike, I am Captain Briney and I like to personally welcome you all to the S.S. Tidal!" Captain Briney said. The 'going-away' party was underway and everyone was there, partying. A giant LCD screen showed up on the ship's smokestack. "We like to welcome you to two nights of adventure and fun! I understand that many of you are traveling to the Johto region to being a new adventure or to just simply travel. Whether you are a trainer or a coordinator, you are with Pokémon, and Pokémon must be treated with love, care, and attention. Love them and they're love you too. Now then, let the cruise begin!"

Suddenly, white and red pyro exploded from the stage and into the air as the ship horn echoed throughout town. The ship lurched as it was leaving the dock. Everyone leaned against the railing and waved good-bye to their families and friends. "Bye mom! Bye Max!" May shouted. Caroline and Max waved back. May notices her dad, giving her a thumbs-up. She just gave a thumbs-up back. "I'll make you proud, dad," she said.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

Later that night, May was shown to her cabin. "Here you are ma'am," the bellboy said.

"Thank you," May said. She then walked into her cabin, which was…kind of…small and narrow. "Not much room is there?" May asked.

There was a knock at the door. "Huh?" she asked. She got up and answered the door. It turns out that another bellboy came to deliver her bag. "Thank you so much," May said.

"You're May right?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied. The bellboy took out a box from his pocket. "Your father wanted me to give this to you."

"Dad?" May asked.

"You're lucky that you're a gym leader's kid," the bellboy said. He then left in a hurry.

May inspects the package. "I wonder what dad got me," she asked. She unwrapped the package. Inside were a note and a pink-colored PokéNav. "Woah! The PokéNav version 2!" she exclaimed. "This is so cool!" She then read the note.

_Dear May,_

_I noticed that many Pokémon Coordinators seem to have these PokéNav 2 things, so I used my connections as Gym Leader and got you one! It has a timer, cell phone, a radio, and all sorts of other gizmos. Be sure to give us a call once in awhile._

_You father,_

_--Norman_

"Thanks dad," May said to herself. She started up her PokéNav, entered her information, and checked through the many features of it. "Dad really went all out," she said to herself. She then noticed a pink Pokédex in the box as well. There was also another note, but this time is was from Professor Birch.

_Dear May,_

_There has been a recent surge of new Pokémon in Johto. Some are even from the Sinnoh region. I figured that this new Pokédex could help you identify those new Pokédex._

_Good luck in the Johto contests!_

_--Professor Birch_

The Silph Company in Kanto, Devon Corporation in Hoenn, and the Pokétch Company in Sinnoh have a business relationship like that of Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft. They constantly try to outdo each other with new technologies and new Poké Gear. The PokéNav, though revolutionary on its unveiling, was starting to lose its luster when the Sinnoh region unveiled its Pokétch and when Johto began to upgrade their Poké Gear technology. So the Devon Corporation (under control of former Hoenn Pokémon League Champion, Steven Stone) began to upgrade their PokéNav so that it has those features and more.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

After playing around with her PokéNav for awhile, May headed out for some dinner at the 'Lido Grill.' "You know," she said. "I bet my Pokémon are hungry too." She then took out all four of her Poké Balls. She threw them into the air and Blaziken, Munchlax, Squirtle, and Eevee came out. "Hey, are you guys hungry too?" May asked. They all gave a happy cheer, especially Munchlax. "I knew you would be hungry," May said to her Munchlax.

She and the other Pokémon began walking around the several buffets. May was supervising Munchlax and Eevee. "Let's see, what do you want Munchlax?" she asked. Munchlax eyed the buffets carefully. "Just pick something," May said.

"Such an insensitive man!" Harley shouted, angrily. May turned around and noticed Harley and Cacturne stomping around angrily.

"Harley, is something wrong?" May asked.

"I have just met the rudest Pokémon Trainer ever! I think his name was…Jahan? Oh, he was so…so…he infuriated me so much. He insulted my Cacturne and you know what? He called me a homosexual!"

"He said you were gay?" May asked.

"Honestly, that is the most bizarre thing I was ever told!" Harley said.

"Well actually," May said.

"Oh, if I ever meet him again, I'll make sure that my Cacturne uses Needle Arm against him!" Harley shouted. He then left in a hurry. May, Eevee, and Munchlax were confused. "I wonder who he met that would make him so angry," May said. She and her Pokémon got her food and walked to a nearby table.

While everybody was eating, another trainer sat by them at a nearby table. "Whoa!" he said. "Is that a Blaziken?!"

"Um…yeah," May said.

"I'll trade you Infernape for it!"

"Um…okay!" May said. Blaziken started at her angrily. "I'm just kidding," she said to him. She then turned to the trainer. "Sorry but Blaziken not up for grabs and neither are any of my other Pokémon."

"Not even Munchlax?" the trainer asked. May and the trainer looked on as Munchlax had just swallowed his whole tray in five seconds. "Trust me, he'll clean your fridge out," May said. "Are you collecting Pokémon?"

"Kind of," the trainer said. "You see, I already have an Infernape and an Umberon too." He then noticed May's un-evolved Eevee. "I see you still haven't decided on what Eevee should involve into. I can't blame you. Eevee can evolve into seven types of Pokémon."

"Seven? Don't you mean five?" The trainer then took out his Pokédex and showed May images of Glaceon and Leafeon.

**POKéDEX ENTRY: GLACEON**

The Fresh Snow Pokémon

As a protective technique, it can completely freeze its fur to make its hair stand like needles.

**POKéDEX ENTRY: LEAFEON**

The Verdant Pokémon

Just like plants, it uses photosynthesis. As a result, it is always enveloped in clear air.

"Wow, they look so cool," May said. "But…how does one evolve them into those two forms?"

"Well, there are special rocks that can make them evolve into such but I haven't been able to find them," he said.

"You seem to know a lot about Pokémon," May said.

"Well, believe it or not, I was once the Pokémon League Champion of the Hoenn Region."

"You were?!"

"Yeah, but I only held the title for a year before some Wallace guy comes in and takes it, and then he loses it to one of my oldest rivals, Mark."

"But that must mean that your Pokémon are really powerful," May said.

"They are," he said. "But I decided to bring only two Pokémon and raise the Pokémon I catch in Johto. They'll be my new winning team. I'll catch the champion off-guard and bam! I'll win back my coveted Hoenn League Championship!"

"Wow, I still can't believe you were a Pokémon Champion," May said. "I know a guy that has been going at that championship for years, but he hasn't gotten it yet. But he hasn't given up yet!"

"Good for him," he said. "I'm sorry, my name is Jahan." May was a little worried. "_Jahan…this is the guy that said Harley was gay? But he seems like a nice guy,_" she thought.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

May and her Pokémon headed back to their cabin. Munchlax ate a little too much and was walking slowly up the stairs. "Eevee (translation: I told you that would be too much food)," Eevee said.

"Munch…lax (translation: I'm…so…full)," Munchlax said.

They soon reached the cabin. May placed Munchlax on top of the bed as he feel asleep. She then noticed a red dress on the bed, in a dry-cleaner bag. "Whoa," she said. "This is such a beautiful dress. But, I didn't bring a dress on board." There was a note stuck to the back.

_Dear May,_

_There is a formal party tonight with the Captain in the main showroom. No Pokémon can come, but I want you to come. Please wear this dress._

"Do I have a secret admirer or something?" May asked.

"Blaziken (you obviously do)," Blaziken said. May then turned to her Pokémon. "Do you guys think I should go?" May asked. The Pokémon all agreed (except Munchlax) that she should. "But I have so much to do. I have to get my hair done, I have to shower." She looked at the time. "AH! I only have three hours!" She rushed out of her cabin to get ready. Meanwhile, a certain green-haired Coordinator watched her leave. "Perfect," he said.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

Down at the cargo bay, two security guards with a Growlithe and a Mightyena watched the door to the passage's luggage and rental cars. Two shifty-looking people in overcoats began walking down the stairs with two Bornzor. The guards stopped them at the door while the two Pokémon growled at them. "This is as far as you can go," the guard said.

"No civilians beyond this door," the other guard said. The two characters knocked them out. The two guard Pokémon began barking. "Bron…zor," they said as they used Hypnosis to put the guard Pokémon to sleep. "Good Pokémon," one of them said.

"Ready Mars?" a voice asked. Mars looked up and waved down two other shifty characters down the stairs. "Good job, you two," one of them said. The four then entered the dark cargo room. They walked up to a pick-up truck. Inside of the truck's cargo area was a durable black bag. One of them unzipped it. Inside was a bomb with a golden "G" on it. One of them slid an opening open and placed inside a card. The bomb read, "Bomb Armed."

"Neptune, got the detonator?" one of them asked. One of them took out a black stick-looking thing out of his coat pocket. "Our place is coming together perfectly," Mars said.

"Let's pay the captain a visit," Neptune said.

"But he's at the party," Mars said.

"Then I'm sure he won't mind that we use his room for a bit," Neptune said. All four of them left the room.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

That was probably the longest first chapter that I have ever done. But who are these suspicious characters? And what about Jahan? Is he really this great guy May knows? Find out in the next chapter of Contest Chronicles!


	2. A Cruise of Galactic Proportions! Part 2

"Sinnoh Adventure"

"Pokemon Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

**IKARISHIPPERS REJOICE!**

For some reason, there is this shipping between Dawn and Paul. How this came to be shipping, I don't really know. But I think that whoever started it is on to something. Opposites do attract (in some cases). It would be cool for them to get together, but I really doubt that the anime producers would develop on it (Paul's too cold for something like that).

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Pokémon or its respective games and TV shows, spin-offs, etc. They are all owned by Nintendo Co. However, I do own Pokémon Blue, Gold, Silver, Crystal, Ruby (soon Emerald), and Pearl.

**NOTES: **When a Pokémon speaks, the words will be italicized, like _this._ To Pokémon trainers, they still just say their names. When other Pokémon are around, they can understand each other.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

**LOCATION:** **S.S. Tidal (out at sea)**

In the cargo bay, a bomb in the cargo area of a truck, a bomb had a beeping red light on it, indicating that it was to blow on command. Suddenly, two more suspicious characters…and a Meowth walked up to the bomb. "Wow, look at da size of diz thing," the Meowth said.

"Well, the boss says that we have to disarm it," one of them said. The suspicious man slid the bomb open and removed the card, disarming the bomb. The red lights shut off and the bomb was disarmed (it could no longer blow up). "Come on. Let's head back up to the deck and meet up with the boss." The three then began walking back upstairs.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

On the 12th deck, the party was underway as a fancy ballroom, complete with a diamond chandelier that lightened the room brightly. The room had a grand stairway, fancy gourmet food, and a band playing old classical music (saxophone, piano, Frank Sinatra-quality music, etc). True to the letter's word, no Pokémon could come into the ballroom.

May was there with her new red dress. She had her hair tied back in a single ponytail. She was looking beautiful. May continued looking around for her so-called 'secret admirer'. "_I wonder who bought this adorable dress?_" she asked herself. Everywhere, people were dancing a slow dance and introducing each other to one another.

Harley and Drew were sitting down drinking punch. They were both wearing bright green and purple tuxedos (respectively). Harley and Drew looked up and saw May wandering around. For some reason, Drew loved seeing her in a beautiful red dress. He began blushing a little bit. Harley noticed this. "Hey Drew, your face is really red," he said. "You must have gotten too much sunlight today."

"Yeah, it's just…like that," Drew said.

Drew then sees May talking to another trainer. He had black, spiky hair and was wearing a black tuxedo with a red tie. "Who's that guy?" Drew asked. Harley looked on and was immediately angry. "It's him! That rude trainer I told you about!" Harley shouted, angrily.

"That Jahan guy? The one that told you that you were gay?" Drew asked.

"Yes! Oh, and May seems to like him!" Harley said. Drew got up and began walking towards the two. "Hey May!" he shouted. The two turned around and saw Drew. "Oh hi Drew! I didn't know you were here!" May said.

"Yo," Jahan said. Drew just stared angrily at him. From the look of things, he hates Jahan too. "Hey May, glad you could make it," Drew said.

"Thank you! Someone bought this cute dress for me and invited me here," May said.

"Oh you got the dress I bought?" Jahan asked.

"What?!" Drew asked, angrily.

"And I was the one who invited you," Jahan said.

"What?! No! May, I was the one who did those things! The dress and the invitation…that was me!" Drew protested.

"He's lying," Jahan said.

"I am not!" Drew shouted.

"Well Drew, why would you buy me a dress?" May asked.

"Well…because…"

"Ah-ha! She's got you there," Jahan said. Drew, feeling defeated, headed back to where Harley was sitting. "Wow, you are such a big man," Harley said.

"Oh shut up," Drew said, angrily.

The piano player began playing some classical music and people began hooking up and slow-dancing. "May, you want to dance with me?" Jahan asked, offering his hand towards her. May was a little bit confused. "_He's taking this pretty fast, isn't he?_" she thought. Nonetheless, she accepted his hand and the two walked out to the middle of the dance floor.

Drew and Harley continued sitting by themselves at the punch table. Drew was having a lot of punch to calm himself down. Drew continued watching Jahan and May dance the night away. "Give me another punch," he said.

"I think you had quite enough, haven't you?" Harley asked.

"I'll tell you when I had enough!" Drew shouted.

"Please tell me you didn't just say that," Harley said.

May and Jahan slow-danced in the middle of the dance floor. May couldn't help but to place her head on his shoulder. She was also blushing a little bit. Jahan noticed this. "So May, you're heading to Johto too, right?" Jahan asked. "Well, you better be prepared. The gyms in Johto are all really tough and they'll mess you up in an instance. But, you have a Blaziken, so you're almost ready for anything."

"Oh, I'm not going to Johto for gym badges," said May.

"So, just sight-seeing huh?"

"Actually, I'm going to go for the Grand Festival in Johto," May said. Jahan stopped and looked at her. "Wait, you're a…Pokémon coordinator?" he asked.

"Well…yeah," May said.

"But that Blaziken, surely he's helped you win a few badges right?"

"Blaziken has never been in a gym battle before," May said. Jahan then let her go, placed his foot behind hers, and pushed her back, making her trip on his foot and making her fall to the ground. Everyone was shocked by this. The music stopped and everyone looked at the two. Jahan just walked out while Drew ran up to May. "May! May! Are you okay?" Drew asked. May just shoved him off and stormed out to confront him.

Jahan was outside of the ship deck, watching the waves. May walked up beside him. "Hey! I have the right mind frame to push you over that rail and into the sea! What is your problem?!" she asked, angrily. "Do you have something against Coordinators?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do," Jahan said. "I never respected Coordinators. They waste their time trying to prep up their Pokémon for some beauty pageant. Well, Pokémon are not supposed to be beautiful or cute. They're supposed to be strong and must be able to take down their opponent. I'm looking to build up my team so that I may reclaim my championship that was rightfully."

"Really? That's the reason why you hate Pokémon Coordinators? That's why you had to go and insult Harley?" asked May, angrily.

"He is gay! And so is any other boy who is a Pokémon Coordinator!"

"Alright! That's it! I had enough of you bad-mouthing Drew…and Harley! I challenge you to a battle up on the top deck! Your Infernape against my Blaziken!" she shouted.

"You know that two Fire/Fighting types don't have an advantage over each other. But if that's what you want, I want something in return. If you lose, I get Blaziken."

"What?" May asked.

"Well, Blaziken is a powerful Pokémon not suited for Pokémon Contest. With a Blaziken like that, it could easily kill ANY gym leader…as least in Johto. And then, maybe, I can win back my championship title."

"I would NEVER offer my Blaziken as some trophy, especially to a selfish trainer like you!" May said.

"Well then, Pokémon Coordinators are as weak as they say," Jahan said. "The battle is still on! Go and get Blaziken and I'll get Infernape! You have ten minutes to meet me on the top deck!"

"Fine by me!" May shouted. The two went off to their cabins to pick up their Pokémon.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

In May's cabin, the four Pokémon were relaxing and having fun. Eevee and Squirtle were watching the cabin's TV while Blaziken and Munchlax were playing checkers (using May's Poké Blocks as game pieces). On TV, a reporter was on. Apparently, Team Galactic has been spotted by townspeople committing crimes such as kidnapping Pokémon and robbing banks for cash (supposedly to build a team base in Johto). They even went so far as to (unknowingly) assassinate Team Rocket leader, Giovanni with a Galactic bomb. Because of Team Galactic's appearance, Team Rocket has decided to kick them out of Johto, but there has been no report that Team Rocket has found a new leader.

Blaziken and Munchlax were on May's (small) bed playing checkers. Blaziken was taking a long time making his move. "_I'll evolve by the time you make a move_," Munchlax said to Blaziken.

"_Oh shut up!_" Blaziken scolded. He then picked up a Poké Block and moved it a square up. Munchlax then hastily made his move. "_See how quick that was?_" Munchlax asked.

"_Munchlax, do you know Surf_?" Blaziken asked, threatening to send him overboard.

Suddenly, May charged into the cabin. She waked past Squirtle and Eevee. She noticed the Poké Blocks on the game board. "Where did you find those?" she asked. Munchlax played innocent. "Munchlax," she said. Munchlax then handed her a Poké Block. Half of the Poké Blocks she packed were now gone. She took it and locked it tight into her room safe. She then pointed to Blaziken. "Blaziken, I need to borrow you for a minute," May said.

"_Huh_?" Blaziken asked.

"There's no time to explain! Just come with me!" May said. She grabbed Blaziken and the two hurried up to the battle deck. The remaining three were left, confused. "_Um…does this mean I win?_" Munchlax asked.

"_I guess…_" Squirtle said.

"_Alright!_" Munchlax picked up the game board, titled it towards his mouth and he ate every Poké Block on the board.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

The captain's quarters overlooked all of the S.S. Tidal. Mr. Briney, after serving many years of his ferry service in Dewford Island, was promoted to Captain by the Slateport Ship Harbor Company. The ship was on auto-pilot as Captain Briney was socializing with the guests down in the ballroom.

The four suspicious characters used their Bronzor to put the guards and their Pokémon to sleep. Now, they were picking the lock to the ship bridge, where the ship was controlled. They succeeded in breaking in and were now exploring the empty quarters. "Fancy place he has here," one of them said.

"Jupiter, look over the controls and stop this ship," one of them commanded.

"Yes Commander Neptune," said another.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

**LOCATION: Battle Deck**

**Jahan VS May**

**(Already in progress)**

"Blaziken, quick! Use Blaze Kick!" May shouted. Blaziken then lunged at Infernape and tried to kick him with a blazing kick. Infernape was quick on his feet and jumped up to avoid the attack. "Infernape, use Flare Blitz now!" Jahan shouted. Infernape engulfed himself in fire and charged at Blaziken, tackling him in his stomach. Blaziken was knocked back a few steps. Despite it being a Fire-type move, Blaziken was weakened by a large amount.

"Blaziken, suck it up!" she shouted. "Now use Sky Uppercut!" Blaziken tried but, it was starting to get really slow. It was about ready to faint.

"Infernape, finish him off with Earthquake!" Infernape was moving his foot up into the air, but suddenly, Blaziken catches him with an unexpected Sky Uppercut! Infernape was send ten feet into the air. "Whoa," Jahan said.

"Alright Blaziken!" May shouted. "Blaziken, you can finish him off with Blaze Kick!" she shouted.

Blaziken's foot was engulfed in flames and he spun and kicked Infernape down to the ground, causing the ship to rock back and forth. Smoke covered the top deck. May and Jahan walked up to their Pokémon. They were both exhausted from the battle and could not continue battling. "So, who wins?" May asked.

"I say…we call it a draw," Jahan said.

"Still think Coordinators are weak?" May asked.

"Yes I do. Thank you for asking," Jahan said, smartly.

Suddenly, all of the lights began to dim and the ship lurched everybody forwards, making them fall. "What the heck was that?" Jahan asked.

"What's going on?" Captain Briney asked. He ran to his quarters, but he saw the fallen guards. The door was locked shut. He began banging on the door. "Who's in there?" he shouted.

Suddenly, Commander Saturn appeared on the LCD screens in every cabin and room. "Who are those freaks?!" a trainer asked.

"_Attention ladies and gentlemen, I am Galactic Commander Saturn. I am alongside with my colleagues, Neptune, Mars, and Jupiter. We are part of Team Galactic! WE are taking over this ship!"_

"Team Galactic?" Jahan asked. "What are they doing here?"

Commander Neptune stepped out on a balcony. Several lifeguards and Office Jennies from nearby came up to the ship, climbed themselves onboard, and began surrounding the ship, pointing weapons and Arcanine began growling at the four. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," Neptune said. Neptune, an orange-headed man, was a newly appointed Galactic Commander. His job was to lead Team Galactic to overrule the Johto region.

"Put your hands in the air!" Officer Jenny shouted. Arcanine just growled loudly. Neptune just took out a strange, black box looking remote. "What is that?!" Jenny asked, angrily.

"We have just armed a Galactic bomb on this ship. If I drop this detonator, the bomb will explode, taking this ship and everybody down with it."

"You're bluffing!" Jenny shouted.

"Very well then," Neptune said. He was about to drop the detonator when everyone shouted "no!'

"I see we have an understanding," Neptune said. "First I request that all the guard and officers drop their weapons and retreat their Pokémon!" Jenny was reluctant at first, but then Neptune threatened to drop the remote. "You heard him!" Jenny shouted. Every guard and officers retreated their Pokémon back into their Poké Balls and drop their weapons. "Alright, now I ask that all trainers drop the Poké Balls and let us, Team Galactic, scoop them up!" Neptune continued on.

Since there was a Team Galactic Grunt on every deck, all trainers were forced to drop the Poké Balls on the floor. "Alright then," Neptune said. "While Team Galactic grabs your Pokémon, we will…"

Suddenly, he noticed a strange-looking figure on the balcony. He immediately wrapped his arm around her neck. "Fools! You think you send a spy to stop us?!" Neptune said. Office Jenny looked confused. "She's not a police officer," Jenny said.

"Wait, then…if she's not a cop, or a member of Team Galactic…who is she with?" Then, that mysterious person grabbed Neptune and threw him over his shoulder and onto the ground. The remote landed on his stomach. The mysterious figure turned out to be Rocket Executive Jessie…and she had Seviper staring right at Neptune, preparing to bite him. "Jessie? From Team Rocket?"

On the other decks, almost half of the Galactic Grunts were actually disguised Team Rocket member! Team Rocket has taken over the ship! Team Galactic was cornered! Rocket Executive James and Meowth kept Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn from leaving the captain quarters. "But how?" Mars asked. "You have no leader!"

"Actually, they have the best leader known to man!" said a voice. A red-haired teenage boy came walking up the stairs with his Feraligatr following behind. "Silver? You're the new leader?" Jupiter asked. asked.

"Surely, you didn't think you could just kill of my father and expect to win this battle, now did you?"

"Giovanni was…you father?" Saturn asked.

"Yeah, and you guys killed him along with five other Team Rocket members. You wanted a war and we gave you one!" Silver said. "Now, come with us prisoners!"

"I don't think so!" Jupiter shouted. She took out a Poké Ball. "Stuntank, use Poison Gas!" she shouted. Stuntank was realized from his Poké Ball and he let out a strong-smelling gas into the captain's quarters. Meowth, James, and Silver began coughing. Silver took out another Poké Ball. "Crobat, do us a favor and use Gust!" he said. Crobat was released from his Poké Ball and he flapped his wings rapidly to clear the room out. By the time the gas cleared, every Team Galactic member on the ship was gone.

"Where did they go?" Meowth asked.

"Look!" Jessie shouted. She pointed to a Wailord-shaped submarine right by the ship. A bunch of Team Galactic members were swimming towards the submarine. Jessie was going to release her Electrode (newly-caught), but Silver stopped her. "Oh let them be," Silver said. "We'll meet again," Silver said. They watched as Team Galactic took off in the submarine. Officer Jenny then pointed a gun towards the four. "Stay where you are!" she shouted.

A helicopter had landed on the ship's helipad. "Oh goodie, the chopper's here," Silver said. He and every other Team Rocket member tried to board but cops stopped them. "Move please," Silver said.

"Team Rocket, we have a warrant for your arrest!" one of the cops said. Silver gave them the detonator, took out a checkbook and began writing out a check. "What police department are you guys from?" Silver asked.

"Why is that of any importance?" another cop asked.

"Well, I'm willing to give you guys 50,000 yen for your services. All you have to do is look the other way and let us through," Silver said.

"50,000 yen?!" a cop asked. Silver gave him the check. "Keep the change," he said. He and the rest of the Team Rocket members boarded the helicopter and escaped the ship. They left behind the detonator, the card that armed the bomb, and a check a 50,000 yen. Team Rocket then left the ship onboard the helicopter.

"Team Rocket?" May asked.

"And…Team Galactic?" Jahan asked.

"Are those two fighting against each other?" May asked.

"And isn't Team Rocket some evil organization that steals Pokémon? So why did they help us out and not steal our Pokémon?" Jahan asked, grabbing his Pokémon. The two trainers looked on as Team Galactic escaped by submarine and Team Rocket escaped by helicopter.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

Later that night, May and her Blaziken were heading back to the cabin. Suddenly, they saw a burned Cacturne and a paralyzed Absol flying back to the wall, knocking it out. "What the…"

"Cacturne!" Harley shouted.

"Absol!" Drew shouted. He got on his knees and tended to Cacturne's burns. From the shadows, Jahan and his Infernape and Luxray emerged. "I told you that you were weak!" Jahan said. "Now I suggest that you and your weak Coordinator friends head back to where you came from! Johto's no place for people like you!"

"Oh shut up!' Drew shouted, using a Paralyze Heal on Absol.

"You are such an insensitive man! Just because you have powerful Pokémon does mean you can shun Pokémon Coordinators! There's nothing wrong with being a Coordinator."

"Except that you guys are wasting precious talent from strong Pokémon and you're using them for…beauty contests!" Jahan got closer to the two Pokémon. "What are you doing?" Harley asked.

"You guys bet Absol and Cacturne. So I win, you hand them over."

"You're doing no such thing! Pokémon are friends, not something that you can bet!" May shouted, angrily.

"But I'm winning to bet my Infernape to win other people's Pokémon. I figure that strong Pokémon should belong in gym battles and not some beauty pageants," Jahan said.

"You are not doing that! Cacturne and Absol belong to Harley and Drew! They did so much work catching them and raising them. They can do whatever they want with them. And they are not weak! They are strong and powerful Pokémon! I'm getting tired of you making fun of Pok'emon Coordinators!"

"Do something about it!" Jahan shouted. "I'm betting my Pokémon against you! Whenever I lose a match against you, you can have any one of my Pokémon!"

"You're serious about this?" May asked.

"Think about it, my team consist Infernape, Luxray, Staraptor, Gastrodon, and Roserade. One of them should be a good Coordinator Pokémon."

"Well a Grass-type sounds like a good Coordinator Pokémon. And I sure want to put your Pokémon out of misery!"

"But…if you lose a battle against me…Blaziken's mine!" Jahan said.

"No!" May shouted. "I would never bet…" Blaziken then stopped her. "You…you want to place yourself in a bet against Jahan?"

"_I hate this guy just as much as you do,_" Blaziken said.

"Are you sure?" May asked. Blaziken nodded yes. "Alright then, Jahan! You got yourself a bet!" May said. The two trainers stared each other down. "I look forward to our next battle." Jahan and his Pokémon then left. May then stared at Drew. "Is Absol okay?" she asked.

"Absol's fine," Drew said.

"That's good to know," May said. She then began walking back to her cabin. "Oh and…thanks for the dress and the invitation," she added. Drew began blushing. "_She knew all along?_" he asked himself.

"Oh, my Cacturne's fine. Thanks for asking," Harley said, sarcastically.

**00oo00oo00oo00**

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

May finally arrives in Johto! She heads to New Bark Town to get herself registered for the Grand Festival! But many things await her in this new region. How will Team Galactic and Team Rocket affect her journey? Will she lose her Blaziken to Jahan or gain another Coordinating Pokémon partner? Find out in the next chapter of Contest Chronicles!


	3. Pokemon Race! Blaze of Glory!

"Pokemon Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

EDIT: Added more scenes and stuff.

First of all, thank you all so much for leaving so many reviews for the last chapter! Now if this becomes a common trend, then the story won't get deleted.

REVIEW REPLIES

**Lady of DarkFire**: Thanks! The first battle between May and Jahan won't be until later in the story. Will May win? Well…I don't know. May might be able to pull it off, but remember…Jahan is a former Pokémon Champion. He's not going to go easy on her.

**Lycoris Calantha**: What don't you like about Harley? It is because he usually cheats to win or is it because he acts very girlish? I liked him when 4Kids provided the voice actor, but the PUSA voice actor made him very homo.

**Absolra**: Jahan will actually be a source of jealousy for Drew. Don't worry, Jahan and May won't be a couple. They will actually hate each other until the end. Plus, Commander Neptune is there because Cyrus is busy with the Sinnoh region. He will always pick fights with Team Rocket. AND…May actually didn't want to bet Blaziken, but he insisted.

**Joyce1237**: I'm sure a lot of people hate Jahan too. He's not like Paul though. He treats his Pokémon with love and respect, but his Pokémon all know that they are willing to bet their trainers just so that they can get some new friends. Jahan loves Pokémon gambling. It usually wins more than he loses.

**Digger Forever:** Good! This story is supposed to attract Contestshippers.

**Stefaniez**: Sorry dude, Jahan and May are going to get together in the end…NOT! Of course it'll end with Contestshipping!

**Luna Harmony**: Thanks for the comment!

**For any Ikarishippers**, I have created a series of Paul x Dawn stories. Most of them are fluffy and have cutesy stuff, but if you are interested, then go check it out. I will update it regularly.

**Oh and…May fans prepare** May returns in the Pokémon D/P anime! She even returns wearing her Emerald clothes (I always liked them better than her old clothes). And apparently, Eevee has evolved into a Glaceon! She and Dawn will have a Pokémon Contest battle! I really don't care who wins. I like them both.

**Wallace makes an appearance too!** Even though 4Kids were dumb enough to replace Wallace with Juan, PUSA brought him into the anime. Even though 4Kids had better voice actors, PUSA has better editing skills!

Of course, we people in the States aren't going to get these episodes until probably the 12th season of the anime. Oh well! Onto the next chapter!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Tackle, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Squirtle (Ice Beam, Tackle, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

**JAHAN'S POKÉMON**

Swampert (Surf, Muddy Water, Rain Dance, Ice Beam)

Luxray (Thunder Fang, Thunder, Swagger, Crunch)

Roserade (SolarBeam, Sunny Day, Energy Ball, Magical Leaf)

Tyranitar (Stone Edge, Earthquake, Dark Pulse, Hyper Beam)

Infernape (Flare Blitz, Blast Burn, Close Combat, Focus Blast)

Staraptor (Fly, Brave Bird, U-turn, Aerial Ace)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: S.S. Tidal (out at sea)**

After the whole Galactic/Rocket incident that happened onboard the ship, everything went peacefully for the rest of the night. Events went on as planned. Squirtle and Eevee were in the cabin, sleeping. Munchlax was trying desperately to break open the safe. He looked at the safe's keypad. He tried several combinations, but they were all denied. "_Let's see…let's try May's birthday!_" Munchlax said to himself. He was going to put in a number but then, he remembered something. "_When is May's birthday? Ah, forget it! I'll just use Hyper Beam!_"

Munchlax backed away from the safe and began powering up a Hyper Beam attack. But then, Squirtle got up and walked to the safe. He pressed a few buttons, and the safe opened up! "_Huh_?" Munchlax asked.

"_There you go. Now be quiet and let me sleep!_" Squirtle said.

"_How did you…? Oh never mind!_" Munchlax said. He ran up to the PokéBlock Case and was about to eat a Poké Block when May suddenly entered the room. "Munchlax, what are you doing?!" May asked, angrily. Munchlax was frozen in place. Next thing you know, he was knocked out by Blaziken and the PokéBlock Case was locked back up in the safe.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**END OF FLASHBACK**

May was still getting used to the fresh air of a new region for her, the Johto region. The ship was being unloaded of its baggage and trainer's luggage. May and the other trainers were leaving the ship and were stepping onto the metal ramps of Cherrygrove Harbor. "Wow, this place is so beautiful!" she said.

After looking around the harbor, May grabbed her bag and began heading towards the city's Pokémon Center to register for Johto's Grand Festival (taking place in Mount Silver for the fourth year in a row). "Alright guys," May said, as she and her Pokémon began walking with her. "This is a new region with some new Pokémon you may or may not have seen before. We're going to be dealing with a rowdy bunch of Coordinators and one self-centered Pokémon Trainer."

"_I'm ready for anything!_" Blaziken said.

"Just letting you know what to expect," May said.

She continued wandering around Cherrygrove City. Although there were many sites to see, she used her PokéNav to find the Pokémon Center. "Alright…here we go," May said, taking a deep breath. She took out her Pokédex, ready to get it registered. She steps through the sliding glass doors of the Pokémon Center. Inside, it was really big and spacious. She walked up to the front desk. "Can I help you?" Nurse Joy asked.

"Hi, I'm May and…I want to register for the Grand Festival," May said.

"Oh…well, you'll have to wait in line with everyone else," Nurse Joy said.

"Everyone else?" May asked. Nurse Joy pointed her to around the corner of her desk, where registration for the Grand Festival and the Johto League Championship. May looked…and was shocked to see so many people lined up to register. "Uuuuhhhh…" she said. "Um…"

"Yes, it does seem like a long line doesn't it? We're sorry about the line, but we're a bit short-handed right now," Joy explained.

"Um, how long is the line?" May asked.

"Well, we only have four counters open. So, about an hour and 35 minutes," Nurse Joy said.

"AN HOUR AND 35 MINUTES?!" May asked. "I can't wait that long! That'll take up the whole day!"

"Hey, no cutting, you little girly-man!" shouted a voice. May recognized it as Jahan. It seemed like him and Harley was having another fight. "Oh man," May sighed, angrily.

"We better hurry before they start throwing fists," Nurse Joy said.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Who do you think you are cutting in front of me?! Get back to the end of the line!" Harley said.

"No way! Pokémon _Trainers_ are above Coordinators and thus, we should get registered first before any Coordinator should!" Jahan said.

"Well it's very rude to cut someone in line! Besides, I've waited longer than you!" Harley said.

"Hey man, get in the back!" someone else shouted.

"Quit trying to cut!"

"Wait your freaking turn!"

"Oh shut up!" Jahan shouted.

May finally catches up to Jahan. "Jahan, what are you doing?!" May asked angrily. "You have to wait in line like everyone else!"

"Hey, I'm a former Pokémon League Champion! I should be able to get special privileges. I demand some respect!"

"Hey I got some respect for you right here!" shouted a trainer. That same person then threw a book at Jahan's head, making Harley laugh. "Hey, nice cheap shot, you pansy!" Jahan shouted. He then noticed Harley laughing. "What are you laughing at?" Jahan asked.

"You finally got your comeuppance. It was about time that you met your fate!" Harley laughed.

"Well it's time for my fist to meet your face!" Jahan said.

"Hey come on now! Now let's just calm down and…"

May was interrupted when Harley threw the first punch at Jahan. Then Jahan punched back and one thing led to another and everyone was starting to throw punches and kicks at each other (bad news for those Black belts and triathlon racers).

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After everything was under order, the glass doors swung open as two Officer Jennies grabbed Harley and Jahan and literally threw the two out of the Pokémon Center. "And stay out!" Officer Jenny shouted. May left the Pokémon Center too because she didn't feel like waiting in a long line. "Harley, are you okay?" May asked.

"I think so," Harley said. May then karate-chopped both Jahan and Harley on their heads. "What is wrong with you?! Do you realize now that you got yourselves kicked out of the Pokémon Center?! Now you guys can't register!" she shouted angrily.

"It was his fault! See what kind of trouble Pokémon Coordinators create?" Jahan asked.

"Hey, you guys here?" asked a voice. Two boys were talking to each other about the Pokémon League Championship registration. "There's a Pokémon Center in New Bark Town that are accepting registrations for the League! There's no line at all!"

"How do you know?"

"I got a guy who called me about it."

"Alright! That's so cool!"

"We got to hurry though! We only have 20 minutes left and only a few spots open!"

"Man, we gotta go!"

May and Jahan looked at each other suspiciously. "I'm getting there first!" May said, quietly.

"Now come on, there's no need for a race," Harley said.

"You better just get back on that ship and just go home right now," Jahan said.

"Hello?! I'm talking here!" Harley said.

"If you care about your Blaziken…"

"Hey shut up and listen to me!"

"I'm getting to Cherrygrove City first. I'll make sure you lose your chance at that championship!" May said.

"Well alright then, don't listen to me. Go and do your little, unnecessary race to New Bark Town," Harley said.

"Well then, may the best person…"

Jahan then took out pocket sand and threw it in May's face, blinding her. "Ah!" May shouted. Jahan then made a run for it to New Bark Town. "You cheap shot!" Harley said. Harley then turned to May, who got up and began running towards Jahan. "Um, how about wiping the sand out of your eyes?" Harley asked.

"I'm gonna catch him!" May shouted…before running into a telephone pole.

"Oh dear," Harley said. "This can not end well."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Jahan was running as fast as he could down Route 29 to New Bark Town. He was already a quarter of the way there. But then, he began to feel very tired. "Ah man," he said to himself. At that moment, May jumped over his head and began running ahead of him. "See ya, you has-been!" May shouted.

"I'M NOT A HAS-BEEN!" Jahan shouted. He then had an idea to beat May. He began searching through his Poké Balls. He then took one out and began running after May. "You'll never catch up to me!" May taunted. That was before she realized that Jahan released Luxray and was now riding on his back. And Luxray was a quick Pokémon! "Oh yeah? Two can play at that game!" May shouted. She then got out a Poké Ball. "Go Blaziken!" she shouted.

Blaziken popped out and May began riding on its back. Blaziken was quick on his feet too. "Consider this speed practice," May said.

"_Got it!_" Blaziken said.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Harley was sitting on a bench nearby the Pokémon Center. He was reading the newest issue of "Pokémon Trainer Fashion" magazine. "That woman needs some new ideas for clothing," he said to himself.

"_Attention passengers, the shuttle to New Bark Town is now arriving!_"

Suddenly, a Steelix-shaped bus approached the station. Harley put down his magazine and stepped onboard. "A Steelix bus? Clever," he said to himself.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"_You're going down, two legs!_" Luxray said to Blaziken.

"_Eat my fire!_" Blaziken said to Luxray. He then used several Blaze Kicks to go faster and setting the field on fire, blocking the path of Luxray and Jahan. Luxray jumped over it, but he began panicking. "What are you doing?! We got to hurry up!"

"_The field's on fire! We have to put it out!_" Luxray said.

"No way! I can't let May win!" Jahan said. Luxray then began charging electricity to its teeth. "Okay fine! I'll put it out! Geez!" Jahan said. He then released his Swampert and he began using Mud Shot to put out the raging fire.

"Good thinking Blaziken!" May said. "Though I think the field fire was a bit much."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Harley was riding the shuttle bus down the road to New Bark Town. According to the bus schedule, he should be there in another 10 minutes. Suddenly, the bus began slowing down as traffic up ahead increased. The bus then came to a stop as an Officer Jenny flagged them down. "What's going on?" Harley asked.

Many of the trucks and cars were honking their horns as shouting. "Come on! Move it already!" shouted a truck driver. Officer Jenny walked over to the bus driver. "What's going on?" the bus driver asked.

"There's a wildfire up ahead," Officer Jenny said. "It's nothing serious, but apparently a trainer with a Swampert is helping us put it out."

"Who?"

"Some guy named Jahan," Jenny said.

"_He probably started the fire,_" Harley thought.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

May and Blaziken continued running towards New Bark Town. They stopped on a hillside and they looked over the town. "Wow…" May said. "We're so close to victory!"

"_Blaziken,_" Blaziken said.

"Alright! Let's go!" May shouted, happily. She and Blaziken began running down the hillside. May was so happy that Jahan would lose. Well…she _was_ happy, but then as she continued running down the hill, a giant crevasse in the ground appeared. She and Blaziken tried stopping, but they both fell into the deep hole. "Where did this hole come from?!" May asked, angrily. Blaziken continued rubbing his injured head.

"You-hoo!" a voice called out. May and Blaziken looked up and saw that Jahan and his Tyranitar were above them. "Sorry May! We were so far ahead of you guys that me and Tyranitar decided to practice using Earthquake. We made this huge hole and you just happened to fall in."

"Get me out of here, you jerk!" May shouted.

"I will…once I register for the Pokémon League," Jahan said. Blaziken, out of anger, blew a huge Flamethrower at Tyranitar. "_Get back here!_" Blaziken shouted. Jahan and Tyranitar just continued on their way to New Bark Town.

May continued looking for some way out of the hole. "How are we going to get out of here?" she asked Blaziken. She and Blaziken continued scratching each other's head. "I got it!" May said. She then released Munchlax, Squirtle, and Eevee from their Poké Balls. "Alright guys, we have to get out of this hole."

"_Huh?_" Eevee asked.

"_A huge hole like this?!_" Squirtle asked.

"I got a plan for us to get out of here," May said.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Drew was sitting on a rock nearby. He had already registered for the Grand Festival and he was now searching through his Pokédex, looking over Jahan's Pokémon. Absol, front-right leg bandaged up, was looking over his shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll find out about Luxray," Drew said. Absol didn't reply. Absol saw Luxray as its rival (it continuously used Thunder Fang until it was extremely paralyzed).

**POKéDEX ENTRY: Luxray**

The Gleam Eyes Pokémon

When its eyes gleam gold, it can spot hiding prey--even those taking shelter behind a wall.

"That doesn't really tell us much," Drew said. "At least we know that you can't sneak up on it."

"_Why would I sneak up on it? I'm no coward!_" Absol said.

Suddenly, Absol perked its head up. He heard something in the distance. "What is it?" Drew asked.

"_I hear somebody_," Absol said.

"Who?" Drew asked. Absol then ran off to a nearby giant crevasse. "Where did this hole come from?" Drew asked himself.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Blaziken was at the bottom of the giant crevasse. She had May on his shoulders…and she had Munchlax on her shoulders…and he had Squirtle on his shoulders…and Squirtle had Eevee on his head. Eevee was near the top of the giant crevasse. "Now Eevee, when you get onto high ground, call for help!" May said.

"_I got it!_" Eevee said. She was about to climb up when suddenly Absol showed up and scared it. Eevee fell, which caused everyone else to fall down. "Well, that didn't work," May said to herself.

"May? Is that you?" someone asked.

May looked up and saw Drew and Absol looking over them. "Hey Drew! Can you get out of here?!" she shouted.

"How did you get in here?" Drew asked.

"Jahan made an Earthquake with Tyranitar. I fell in. Just get me out!"

"Wait? Jahan?" Drew asked. "Why didn't you so something sooner?" Drew asked.

Drew used his Flygon to help May and her Pokémon out of the hole. He then helped May get to New Bark Town quicker.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Sir, did you start the fire?" Officer Jenny asked. She was in New Bark Town, interrogating Jahan and his Luxray. "I told you! It was a wild Growlithe who started the fire!" Jahan shouted.

"We never see Growlithe around here!"

Suddenly, a bunch of wind was kicked up into the air. "What in the world?" Jahan asked. He saw Drew's Flygon landing on the street near the Pokémon Center. The two exchanged evil stares at each other. "It's you," Jahan said. He then noticed May jumping off of his back and running towards the Pokémon Center. "Oh man! Registration!" Jahan shouted. He then shoved Officer Jenny aside and he began racing towards the Pokémon Center. "This is it!" they both shouted.

The two walked into the Pokémon Center…and saw Harley at the counter. "Alright then, here is your Pokédex. Thank you for registering! And just in time! That was our last spot!" Nurse Joy said.

"Thank you," Harley said, taking his Pokédex back. May and Jahan fell to the floor, disappointed. "Ah man," they both said.

"How did you get here so fast?" Jahan asked.

"I took the bus," Harley said. Jahan and May's mouths were left wide-open. "There was no need for a race you know," Harley said.

**(NOTE: This was where the orginial version ended.)**

"We're too late," May said, sadly. Jahan then got up and tackled Harley down to the ground. "You idiot! How dare you take my spot away from the Pokémon League and my precious championship!" Jahan shouted.

"You did not deserve to get another shot!" Harley shouted. May just ignored the two and left the Pokémon Center in disappointment. "Great, looks like I'm heading home early," she said, sadly.

_**Ring, ring, ring! Ring, ring, ring! Phone Call! Phone Call!**_

(A/N: I loved it from the Kanto series, so I retained it in my story.)

She then heard a ringing noise. "Huh?" she asked. She looked around her to find out where the noise was coming from. She looked into her pocket. It was the PokéNav, ringing loudly. "I got a phone call?" May asked. She flipped open her PokéNav. Her dad's picture was on the screen. "You have a call from…your father, Norman," the PokéNav said.

"Dad's calling me?" May asked. She then accepted the call. "Hello?" May asked.

"Hello May! How are you?"

"I'm fine."

"I see the phone function is working as it should be."

"Dad, you didn't call me just so that you can test the phone connection."

"I just wanted to see how everything is coming along. Have you registered for the Grand Festival yet?"

"I missed out on registration. There was such a long line and all of the spots were taken up."

"What?!"

"I'm sorry dad. It looks like I'm going home early."

"Now listen here young lady! I heard that Team Galactic overtook the ship that you were on. You have traveled through high waters to get where you are. There's no way you are not coming back home unless you have a Ribbon Cup in your hands!"

"Okay, okay dad, take it easy. It's kind of late to enter now."

"No, I do not accept that as an excuse. Wait a minute…Professor Birch! He's connected to the Pokémon Leagues."

"You think Professor Birch can pull a few strings?"

"Well, I'll see if he can. Don't you worry, May. I will use my status as Petalburg Gym Leader to get you into that Grand Festival."

"Dad…I…"

"Yes?"

"Thank you. I really appreciate you doing this for me."

"Anything for my daughter. Now I got to run." Norman then hung up. May put the PokéNav back into her pocket.

"Hey May!" Drew shouted. Drew then ran up to her and took a few deep breaths. "So, what happened? Are you registered yet?"

"Well, my dad said that he's going to try and pull a few strings for me to get in. I guess I have to wait until Professor Birch calls me," May said.

"Hey, get your hands off of me!" shouted a voice.

May and Drew looked over and saw that Jahan and Harley were again getting kicked out of a Pokémon Center by two Chansey and Nurse Joys. "Not again," May said.

"Jahan's nothing but trouble," Drew said.

"I don't understand why Jahan hates Pokémon Coordinators so much," May said.

"He really has no reason other than he's jealous that his Pokémon aren't Coordinator material," Drew said. "Hey…um…May, you know that since Johto has just started doing Pokémon contests, there are a few different rules than they had in Hoenn and Kanto."

"Like what?"

"Well, for one thing, trainer appearance is just as important as Pokémon appearance. Suits are required for men and women are required to wear dresses."

"Sounds like a fun twist. I still have the suit that you bought for me on the cruise."

"Well, you're not going to wear the same thing for every contest, right?"

"Well…I guess I can buy a few dresses. But…well, I'm a little short on money."

"I'll pay for it," Drew said, bluntly.

"You…will?" May asked. "Why are you doing so much for me?"

"Well May…I was looking forward to battling you in a contest. You're…your pokémon are just so much fun to battle. It'd be shame to see you lose just because your clothes were so plain. Look, a guy is offering to spoil you with a shopping spree. Are you going take it or no?" Drew asked.

"Well…if you insist," May said.

"Alright Jahan, let us settle this like men!" Harley shouted. May and Drew looked behind them and saw that Harley and Jahan had attracted a lot of people. They were both fighting with their shirts off. "Oh good lord," May said.

"Want to check it out?" Drew asked.

"I prefer not to," May said. The two then left the scene, leaving Jahan and Harley to fight.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Professor Elm's Laboratory**

At Professor Elm's Laboratory, standing on a hillside, there was a Totodile, Chikorita, and a Cyndaquil eating their food while Prof. Elm was talking to Prof. Birch on the video phone. "And that's how I got this scar on my cheek," Birch said.

"Maybe its best not to get involved between Seviper and a Zangoose," Elm said.

"It wasn't my fault. I was at a distance, but then Norman calls me, and that attracted the two. I tell you, that is the first time I ever see them working together."

"What did Norman say?"

"Well, he called and said that his daughter couldn't register for the Grand Festival in Johto."

"And you decided to call me?"

"Well, I don't have any connection to the Johto leagues, so I was hoping you would help her out."

"Well…I might get in trouble for this, but she is the gym leader's kid. Alright, I'll see if I can pull a few strings," Elm said.

"Great! Her name is May! Hopefully, she'll be stopping by in about a few hours. Thanks again, and good-bye!" Birch said, before hanging up. Professor Elm then went back to caring for the three Pokémon on the table. He didn't notice a little kid outside of his window with a smoke bomb in his hand.

"That's it you three, just keep eating. The new trainers should be coming by any minute," Professor Elm.

Suddenly, a window was broken and the smoke ball went off. "Huh?!" Professor Elm asked. The room filled with black smoke. "What's going on?!" the other professor said. When the smoke cleared, everything seemed normal. "What happened?" Elm asked. He looked back at the table. This time, all three Pokémon were gone. "AH! What happened to the Pokémon?!" he asked.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The young boy who was standing outside of the lab was now running into the woods with Totodile, Chikorita, and Cyndaquil in his hands. "If I can't get a Pokémon yet, no one can," he said. He looked at the three Pokémon. "You three are all now my Pokémon!" he said. Totodile just replied by biting his arm.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

At a nearby department store in New Bark Town, May and Drew were shopping for suits and dresses. Both of them were in dressing rooms, trying on different clothes. Absol, Masquerain, Eevee, Blaziken, and Squirtle were outside, giving them their opinions.

First, Drew came out in a green suit with a purple bow tie. "What do you think?" he asked. Both of his Pokémon disagreed. "What? Green's too bright?" Drew asked. They all nodded yes. "Let's see if the purple suit looks any better," Drew said, walking back into the dressing room.

Right when he went in, May came out in a sparkling pink dress. "Well?" she asked. All of her Pokémon agreed. "Hey Drew, are you done yet?" May asked.  
"Hold on one minute!" Drew asked. He then stepped out in a pure white suit and a green bow tie. May was stunned. "Wow," she said.

"Like it? I figured that you can't go wrong with a white suit," Drew said.

"You look…good," May said.

"Really? Just good, huh?" Drew asked. "That's okay, you look great too."

Suddenly, they heard police sirens and people running. "What's going on?" May asked.

"I don't know," Drew said. "Maybe they finally decided to break up the fight between Jahan and Harley."

"We better check it out," May said. She then began running out of the store. "Wait, May! You're still wearing…"

Too late. May tried to leave with the dress on, but the store's detectors stopped her and automatically locked the doors. Needless to say, the manager wasn't very happy.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"You really are clueless, weren't you?" Drew asked.

"Oh be quiet," May said. The two already bought their clothes and were trying to see what the commotion was about. "I wonder what happened," May said.

"Look!" Drew said. He pointed to a TV set hanged from the ceiling in a small outdoor ramen shop.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have breaking news to report. At approximately 2:35 p.m. this afternoon, Professor Elm's Laboratory was robbed of three Pokémon: a Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and a Totodile. A smoke ball was used as a diversion. We do have evidence to report that this was not the work of Team Galactic or Team Rocket. We have no other news to report at this time other than that those three Pokémon mentioned have been stolen."

"Stolen?" May asked.

"Yes May, we all heard that it was stolen," said a voice. It turned out to be Harley, who had several slashes and bruises. "Oh wow, you got…beaten up," Drew said.

"Yes, I suffered a few injuries, but I was able to knock out that…bastard Jahan," Harley said.

"Harley!" May shouted.

"Well he is," Harley said.

"Where is he anyway?" Drew asked.

"He went back home, crying to his mommy," Harley said.

"I'm sure he is," Drew said sounding very unsure if Harley is actually telling the truth.

"We better go and help Professor Elm find his Pokémon," May said.

"But where to start?" Harley asked.

"I got it!" May shouted. "Drew, you can use Flygon to search the town."

"Flygon?" Drew asked. He took out its Poké Ball. "Are you sure this will work?"

"I'm certain," May said.

"Well…alright," Drew said. "Go Flygon!" Flygon then emerged from its Poké Ball. "Flygon, look around for a Totodile, Chikorita, and Cyndaquil," Drew commanded.

"_Got it!_" Flygon said. He then took off to look around the town. "Now what?" Harley asked.

"Now we wait," May said.

Flygon continued looking around the town for the three Pokémon. "_Let's see…Totodile! Chikorita! Cyndaquil?_" he called out. "_Where are those cute little creatures?_" He then spotted a young boy trying to escape with Totodile, Chikorita, and Cyndaquil. "_Haha! I found the little punk!_" Flygon said. He then began flying back to Drew, May, and Harley.

"I'm telling you kid," the ramen shop owner said. "One squirt of that stuff and your lungs will be burned to a crisp."

"It's made of 100 percent Tomato Berries!" his daughter said.

"I doubt that," Drew said.

"_Hey Drew!_" Flygon shouted. May, Drew, and Harley looked up and saw Flygon calling them. "You find them?" May asked.

"_Yeah, I did! Some kid has them! Follow me!_" Flygon said. Flygon then began running off. "Quick! Follow him!" Harley shouted. The three then began running, trying to follow Flygon.

Down the street, Jahan and his Infernape were getting ice for his head. Like Harley, he also had several bruises and cuts on his whole body. "For a queer, he can fight pretty well. I'll give him that much," Jahan said.

"_Look_!" Infernape shouted. Jahan looked up and saw Flygon flying over him. "_Catch it!_" Infernape said.

"I already have Staraptor. Why would I need a Flygon?" Jahan asked.

Suddenly, May, Jahan, and Drew shoved him aside. "Move it, jerk!" Drew shouted.

"Hey! I'm a cripple here!" Jahan shouted. "Where are you going anyway?" Neither of the three answered him. "Let's go Infernape," Jahan said.

"_Yeah!_" The two then followed the three down the road.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The young boy continued running towards Route 29. Totodile, Chikorita, and Cyndaquil tried to escape, but the young boy held onto them tight. "I'm getting out of here!" he said.

Suddenly, May, Harley, Drew, and Jahan stopped him. "Where are you going with those Pokémon?!" Drew asked, angrily.

"Kyle?" Jahan asked.

"Jahan?" Kyle asked.

"_Now's our chance!_" Cyndaquil said.

Totodile then bite Kyle's arm, making him drop Chikorita and Cyndaquil. "Ow! Let go of me! Ah! Get back here Cyndaquil and Chikorita!" Kyle shouted. Totodile then let go of his arm and then began running with the other two Pokémon. "Get it!" Jahan shouted. Drew, Harley, and May tried to catch him, but the three Pokémon were quick. Jahan was able to grab Cyndaquil. "I got you, you little…"

Jahan was interrupted when Cyndaquil launched a powerful Ember attack at his face. Jahan dropped to the ground and Cyndaquil. "Way to go, you let them go," Harley said.

"We better go after them!" May said.

"I'll stay here and watch this little twerp," Jahan said.

"Good thinking," May said.

"Yeah, you're not really useful," Drew said.

"Oh shut up," Jahan said. The three then went on to try and catch the three runaway Pok'emon.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**NEXT TIME…**

Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile have hid themselves in Route 29. Will they be able to hide themselves from the watchful eyes of our trainers? Will the three be able to catch them? How does Jahan know this kid? Find out in the next chapter of Contest Chronicles!

Thank you all for reviewing the last chapter. Your reviews motivate me to continue the story. I hope you continue offering me support and reviews.

Now, the question still remains…what Johto starter Pokémon should May start with? Cyndaquil, the fire-type Pokémon? Or maybe Chikorita, the grass-type? The grass-types are always good contest Pokémon. Or maybe even Totodile, though energetic, can be a contest partner for May? PM me or leave your vote in the reviews. You can vote as much as you can!

Oh yes! And if you are an Ikarishippers, I have just realized another Pokemon series for any Paul x Dawn fans called "DP Love!" I update it regularly so keep checking up on it!


	4. Decision Time! Who Keeps What?

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

First off, **I am very sorry for not updating the story in the past three months**. Excuses? I have plenty: USB Disk was acting stupid, I was moving houses, I had school finals to worry about, my laptop charger was busted so I had to order another one, I was distracted by YouTube videos, I bought Crash Nitro Kart for the Nintendo Gamecube, I got addicted to Syphon Filter: Omega Strain…any one of those you can accept

Hmmm…the last chapter's reviews were a little disappointing. None of you guys really helped me out by voting for which Johto Pokémon May should pick (only two actually voted). But…I'm a nice person, so I'll continue the story for you guys. Anyway, here are the author replies.

REVIEW REPLIES

**Stefaniez: **You're idea sounds interesting, but really, this story is all about May and Drew. Jahan will make Drew a bit jealous, but Jahan will do something to May that will cause her to hate him for the rest of her life (hint: it DOES NOT involve a bed, pervs).

**It's Called A Life. Get One…: **I'm glad you liked the story! Thanks for your vote!

**SwiftstarOfTheSingingWind: **I got your PM about May used to live in Johto. Your evidence provided a compelling argument, but is it from the Japanese version or the dub? The dub usually makes a lot of mistakes, so depending on what language version, it's may not be valid. It's debatable, but I still think that May lived in Petalburg her whole life.

**xXHyuugaSakuraXx:** Well, as I said in the last chapter, only May, Jahan, and either Harley or Drew would get a Pokémon. Don't worry. As long as I get plenty of reviews, this story will remain on fanfiction dot net.

Alright, onto chapter 4 of "Pokémon Contest Chronicles!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_The three Johto starters, Cyndaquil, Totodile, and Chikorita were stolen from Professor Elm's Laboratory by a small kid apparently named Kyle. Jahan, Drew, Harley, and May caught him, but the Pokémon escaped. May, Harley, and Drew chased after the Pokémon while Jahan stood by and made sure that Kyle didn't run away._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: New Bark Town**

While the three Coordinators began chasing after the runaway Pokémon, Jahan and Kyle stood by the Pokémon Center. Kyle was a young boy who had black hair just like Jahan. "Kyle, you idiot!" Jahan scolded. "What were you thinking? Do you know what they call people who steal Pokémon?"

"Team Galactic losers?" Kyle asked.

"No! Team _Rocket_ losers!" Jahan shouted. "And if you're working with Team Rocket, the cops will bust you and put you away for your life!"

"But I hate being only 9-years-old!" Kyle shouted.

"Well, now you know how I feel when I was 9. Look, I know where you're getting at. You want to leave home and become a Pokémon Champion, like I was."

"Yeah, before you lost it to some Coordinator guy with blue wavy hair," Kyle said.

"And that is why I hate Coordinators. That and the fact that Coordinators think that strong Pokémon can be used in some beauty contest. Wrong! Pokémon should only be used for Pokémon battling! Breaking other Pokémon's spirits and backs and climbing to the top to show the whole world that they are the best that the Pokémon world has to offer!"

"That's the kind of passion that runs through the veins of every man in the Natsu family. WE want to become winners. We want to be champions! Our Pokémon want to be like us, and they understand that sometimes, they have to put everything on the line, even their own trainer!" Kyle then began looking depressed. "Now you got fired up for nothing."

Jahan got onto his level and got to his knees and he placed his hand on Kyle's shoulder. "Look, I know it seems like a long time for your 10th birthday, but when your birthday comes around, and you grab your first Pokémon, the trainer experience you get will be totally worth it."

"You think so?'

"Kid, you're talking to a former Hoenn League Champion here. I know what I'm talking about."

"Hey, do you think those guys will find those Pokémon I stole?"

"Hopefully, because I want that Totodile," Jahan said.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Route 29**

May, Drew, and Harley split up to find the runaway Pokémon along Route 29. May and Blaziken began chasing after Cyndaquil, who got lost in the forest. "Come on Blaziken," May said. "We got to find Cyndaquil."

"_Okay!_" Blaziken said.

May and Blaziken continued looking around the woods. "_It has to be around here somewhere,_" Blaziken said.

"But where?" May asked. The two then heard a small cry. "Shush," May said. Blaziken and May began sneaking around, looking Cyndaquil. "I think I heard it by the river," May whispered.

"_Be careful_," Blaziken said. "_Don't step on anything!_"

May peek over the bushes. "There it is," May whispered. And she was right. Cyndaquil was at the river, washing his face and drinking the clear water. May then took out a Poké Ball. "_Alright, maybe I can catch it if I catch it off-guard,_" she thought. She quietly walked past the bushes and crept towards Cyndaquil. But suddenly, the sounds of a twig breaking alerted Cyndaquil. She turned around and saw May creeping up to her. "Dang it, Blaziken!" May scolded.

"_I'm sorry!_" Blaziken said.

Cyndaquil then began running off. "Oh no you don't!" May shouted. She jumped for it and grabbed Cyndaquil. "I got it!" May shouted. Cyndaquil began struggling and fighting to break free. "_Let me go! Let me go!_" Cyndaquil shouted.

"Oh, I'm not letting you go!" May shouted.

"_Then, I'll make you let go!_" Cyndaquil then stored up its fire power and made the fire on its back more powerful, burning May's chest and setting her on fire. "Hot! Hot! Hot!" shouted May. Blaziken saved her…by kicking her into the water. This put out the water and May was able to recover from her burns. "That smarts," May said.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Drew and his Absol found Totodile in the woods as well. "There he is," Drew whispered to Absol. "Now, we need to be really quiet."

"_Got it,_" Absol said back. He saw a couple of juicy berries in the trees and he tired to jump up and grab them. But he wasn't tall enough. He tried jumping and everything, but all attempts were futile. Drew could see that it was frustrated. "Absol, follow me," Drew said.

"_What are you doing?_" Absol asked.

"Hey Totodile!" Drew shouted.

The little, blue alligator Pokémon turned around and was about to run but Drew grabbed him by his short, blue tail. "Hey, don't worry. I won't try to catch you," Drew said. Totodile seem to trust Drew a little more. "I bet you're hungry," Drew said.

"_Yeah, I'm starving!_" Totodile said.Drew turned to Absol. "Absol, use Razor Wind and cut down some of tree branches containing wild fruit. Totodile was extremely happy as it began eating the fruit. "You know, you're kind of…cute," Drew said, hesitating to say the last word. "You know, Professor Elm is waiting for you come to home so that another trainer can pick you to be their first Pokémon."

"_I don't want to be with a trainer_," Totodile said.

"What? Why not?"

"_Because I want to be free and travel the world_," Totodile said.

"If you're with a trainer, you can still travel the world," Drew said. "Sure, it seems like you are a captive, but you still will travel the world and go stronger than you are now. Hopefully, the trainer is a nice person who you can get along with."

"_Really?_" Totodile began thinking about being with a trainer. "_Totodile!_" shouted a voice.

"Huh?" Drew asked. He looked over and saw that Cyndaquil was there, trying to run away from May. "Cyndaquil! Hey get back here!" Drew shouted. Totodile and Cyndaquil began running off with each other. "I said come back!" May shouted. "You two get back here!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Harley and his Ariados were setting up traps on a pathway through the forest. Ariados was setting up a spider web on the path while Harley began digging a hole. He dug down into the ground about 4 feet. After digging the hole for an hour, Harley got up and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "That should be enough," he panted.

He heard a bush rustling nearby. "They're coming!" Harley shouted. He looked to Ariados. "Quick, hide!" Harley whispered. Harley jumped into the bushes with Ariados. His back was turned to the trap. All he heard were a few Chikorita and Totodile cries and then…

"AAAAHHHHH!" He heard the sound of screaming and the trip wire was tugging. "Now Ariados!" Harley shouted. Ariados pulled back on his web and lifted the captives into the air. Harley jumped from behind the bush. "Haha! I got them!" he shouted happily. Boy, was he wrong.

He looked on at May, Blaziken, Drew, and Absol tied up in his Ariados' web and they were struggling to break free. "What are you two doing in my trap?" Harley asked, angrily.

"We tripped on some fruit, landed in a hole, and were hoisted in the air!" Drew shouted.

"Get us down, Harley! We got to catch those three!" May shouted.

Harley walked over to Ariados and cut the web, making the four captives fall to the ground with a nasty thud. "Ow," May said, weakly.

"Come on," Drew said. "We have to go after them."

"Hold on Drew," Harley said. "You're telling me that neither you nor May had caught one of those things."

"I caught Cyndaquil, but he got away by burning me," May said.

"Come on May! You're not that stupid!" Harley said. He turned to Drew. "What's your excuse?" he asked.

"Well…I baited Totodile with some food, but then May and Cyndaquil appeared and scared him away."

"Gee May, way to screw up. I think Jahan would do a better job at catching Pokémon than you can."

"Oh shut up!" May shouted. "Come on. After them!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Cyndaquil, Totodile, and Chikorita continued running towards the river. The three stopped when they reached the river. The river was very rapid and the current was strong. Cyndaquil got in front of Totodile and Chikorita. "_Let's go guys!_" Cyndaquil said.

"_No way! The water's too strong!_" Chikorita said.

"_Let's just put the white flag! Maybe being with trainers isn't so bad!_" Totodile said.

"_What are you talking about? I would rather be a wild Pokémon than to belong to a trainer!_" Cyndaquil said.

"_I don't see why you hate trainers_," Totodile said. "_One of them helped me get food._"

"_That's how they bait you Totodile!_" Cyndaquil said.

"_But they seem like nice people,_" Chikorita said.

"_Alright! Then, you guys surrender! I'm swimming my way to freedom!_" Cyndaquil said.

"_You know you can't swim. You would drown in a second!_" Totodile said.

"_Would not!_" Cyndaquil said. Cyndaquil walked up to the raging river and was about to touch the water with its feet, but water splashed up along the shore. "_Told you,_" Totodile said. Totodile and Chikorita ran up to May, Drew, and Harley. "_You quitters!_" Cyndaquil shouted angrily. Drew and Harley picked up Totodile and Chikorita respectively.

"Come on guys, let's go home," Harley said. May noticed that Cyndaquil had his back towards the three trainers. She walked past Drew and Harley and got down onto her knees. "Hey Cyndaquil, why don't you just go with me?" May asked. Cyndaquil continued ignoring her. "Come on," May said.

"Hmmm…I don't think Cyndaquil likes you so much, May," Harley said. Harley put Totodile down on the ground and walked up to Cyndaquil. "Let me try something," Harley said. He then took out a box of his homemade cookies. "Here Cyndaquil," he said. "You just have to try one of my cookies. They're delicious!"

Cyndaquil turned around and quickly swiped the cookie from Harley's hand. She wasted no time eating it. "Well?" Harley asked. "It's good right?" Suddenly, Cyndaquil lurched back and let out a huge Flamethrower attack on Harley's face. Harley screamed in pain. May and Drew couldn't help but laugh at Harley. "Hey, it's not funny!" Harley shouted, angrily. Harley turned back at Cyndaquil. "How dare you criticize my cooking!" Harley was shocked when he looked inside his cookie box. All of them were burned to a crisp! "AAHHH! You burned my cookies!" Harley shouted. Cyndaquil could care less what it was doing.

"Come on Cyndaquil," May said again. Cyndaquil just ignored her. May was getting irritated. She tried to grab her from behind, but Cyndaquil made the fire on its back bigger, almost burning her. "Cyndaquil, I'm getting a little tired of your selfish attitude. Now you're coming with me!" she shouted, angrily.

"_No!_" Cyndaquil said.

"I said you're coming with me!" May said, grabbing Cyndaquil. She didn't care that she was getting third-degree burns. She and Cyndaquil continued fighting until suddenly, a net flew over Cyndaquil. "Huh?" May asked herself.

The captured Cyndaquil was then dragged over by a nearby bush. "I finally got that sucker," said a voice. It turns out that Jahan was hiding behind the bush. He used a special net to capture Cyndaquil. "Geez May, trying to use brutal force on a Pokémon? You're probably a Team Galactic member in disguise," Jahan said.

"Jahan?! What are you doing here?" May asked, angrily.

"Yeah! Shouldn't you be watching our troublemaker?" Drew asked.

"Well, he punched me in the nose and got away," Jahan said.

"Loser," Harley said.

"Why did you let him go?" May asked.

"Well, why not? He's only a little kid," Jahan said. He then looked at Chikorita and Totodile. "And besides, it seems like we have all of the Pokémon. Whether they like it or not, all three Pokémon are going back to Professor Elm's lab." Jahan looked at Cyndaquil angrily. "I'm talking to you," he said. Cyndaquil just crossed its two front feet angrily. "You can complain all you want, but the bottom line is you're going back to Elm's lab. That's final!" Jahan then placed the net over his shoulder so that Cyndaquil was hanging from his back. "Let's go home," Jahan said.

"Right behind you," Harley said.

"Um…no thanks Harley. In case you didn't know, I'm like women," Jahan said.

"Well…of course. I mean I don't see…wait a minute! That was a gay joke wasn't it?" Harley asked, angrily.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Back at Professor Elm's Laboratory, the three Pokémon were placed onto the table. Jahan used a pocket knife to cut the net open. "There," Jahan said. "Did you learn your lesson?" Cyndaquil just blew a huge flamethrower in his face. Jahan yelled in pain. "I guess not," Jahan said, weakly.

"I probably should have warned you guys that Cyndaquil is very disobedient," Elm said. "She apparently really hates Pokémon trainers. She was a wild Pokémon when I caught her…but I guess she likes being in the wild. She always disobeys me, even when I try to feed her dinner."

"Why does it have to be so stubborn?" Drew asked.

"Well anyway, thank you guys so much for bringing these three back to my lab," Elm said. "But whatever happened to the small child who stole them in the first place?"

"He kicked me in the shins and got away," Jahan said.

"I thought you said he punched you in the nose," May said.

"Well…"

"You let him get away, didn't you?" Harley asked.

"Well…he is…my cousin," Jahan said.

"So, you are related to him?! Now we know which house to burn down," Drew said.

"You don't have the guts to do it. Besides, I live in Jubilife City…in _Sinnoh_," Jahan said.

While Drew and Jahan continued arguing, May walked over to Cyndaquil. She still was very stubborn and refused to talk to Totodile and Chikorita. "Hey Cyndaquil," she said. "Are you still mad?" Cyndaquil didn't answer. "I guess you are," May said.

"Don't bother trying to talk with it," Elm said. "No trainer has been able to break Cyndaquil. She would just Flamethrower you on sight."

"I bet I can break it in," May said. "Professor Elm, what if I can take Cyndaquil with me on my journey through Johto and tame her?"

"I doubt you can," Elm said.

"And besides," Jahan interrupted. "What can a Coordinator do? It needs a true Pokémon trainer to tame her."

"A true Pokémon Trainer?" May asked.

"Yes, remember I was a former Hoenn League Champion," Jahan said.

"I'm from Hoenn and I don't even know you," May said.

"Oh shut up," Jahan said. He then picked up Cyndaquil by its hind legs. "Cyndaquil, as your new trainer, I demand that you give me the respect I deserve," Jahan said. Cyndaquil just blew a stream of fire in his face. May couldn't help but laugh a bit. "I guess she doesn't like you either," May said.

"Oh fine! You can go ahead and take Cyndaquil," Jahan said, reluctantly giving May Cyndaquil. "But I still don't think a Pokémon Coordinator could ever tame an unruly Pokémon like Cyndaquil."

"I'll try," May said. May grabbed Cyndaquil in her arms. She immediately ducked her head, in case Cyndaquil tried to Flamethrower her. To everyone's surprise, she didn't. "Hmm, that's odd. Whatever," Jahan said. "So in that case, I guess I'm taking Chikorita then."

"Sorry Jahan, but I'm taking Chikorita," Drew said.

"What?!" Jahan asked, angrily.

"I called ahead and asked Professor Elm if I could have Chikorita, and he said I could," Drew explained.

"No way! You can't take Chikorita!" Jahan said. He then looked at Totodile, the only available Pokémon left. "Well…I do like water Pokémon," he said to himself. He began reaching for Totodile, but suddenly Harley grabbed his arm. "I don't think so," Harley said. The two then began staring down each other.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**NEXT TIME…**

Jahan and Harley are in yet another skirmish. This time, they are fighting over who keeps Totodile. So how do we solve this problem? Well…a Pokémon battle seems like the right choice. But then again…those two are fighting over whether it should be a battle or a contest.

Short chapter, this time. Next time, I'll make sure to make the chapter longer.


	5. May VS Jahan for the 1st Time!

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

Well after playing a few retro PSone games (_Twisted Metal, Um Jammer Lammy, Parappa the Rappa 2_), I'm back with another chapter. Alright, the last reviews did a little better now than with chapter 3.

REVIEW REPLIES

**Paraylze4Ever: **Thanks! I'm glad you like the story!

**Lady of DarkFire: **Well, Cyndaquil wouldn't be the first Pokémon to give their trainers a bad attitude. Ash's Pikachu and Dawn's Piplup gave them an attitude when they first got their Pokémon. The first May VS Jahan battle will come soon.

**Luna Harmony:** Harley's glad you rooting for him! But really…Harley in my story acts the same as anime Harley. So I don't see how he is better.

**SwiftstarOfTheSingingWind: **Thanks for the review!

Alright, onto chapter 5 of "Pokémon Contest Chronicles!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_The three Johto starters, Cyndaquil, Totodile, and Chikorita were stolen from Professor Elm's Laboratory by a small kid apparently named Kyle. Jahan, Drew, Harley, and May caught him, but the Pokémon escaped. May, Harley, and Drew chased after the Pokémon while Jahan stood by and made sure that Kyle didn't run away. It turns out that Kyle was Jahan's cousin who just couldn't wait to turn 10, when he could start his Pokémon Journey._

_The three trainers try their best to catch the runaway starters, but all their attempts failed. However, the trainers' kindness won over Chikorita and Totodile. But Cyndaquil refused to come back with any of them. Jahan had to catch her in a net and then drag her back to Professor Elm's lab._

_At Professor Elm's lab, May chose Cyndaquil, despite her attitude towards Pokémon Trainers. Drew then picks Chikorita as his new Pokémon. As for who Totodile will travel with, Jahan and Harley are 'discussing' it._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: New Bark Town**

**Professor Elm's Lab**

Jahan and Harley were each so serious about taking Totodile from the other person, that they were fighting over him like it was Tug-A-War. Seriously, each of them had one of Totodile's arms and they pulling him and back and forth. "Dang it, I say I get Totodile!" Jahan said.

"Why should you? Your cousin is a thief!" Harley said.

"Oh come on, you two! You're acting like a bunch of babies!" May scolded.

"_Yeah I mean…not trying to get involved with you two arguing…but I'm getting ripped apart here," _Totodile said.

"Look, I'm the one to take Totodile because I was the one who even put effort in trying to find him. Meanwhile, his demon cousin was the one who stole them and lost them in the first place!" Harley said.

"Yeah, well I am a Pokémon trainer, who by the way was the Hoenn League Champion for a whole year…"

"Oh stop saying that," May said, suddenly. "Like I said, I'm from Hoenn and I never heard of you."

"Me too (A/N: If anyone forgot, he came from LaRousse City)," Drew said.

"I'll third the motion (A/N: Slateport City)," Harley said.

"You guys are just jealous that you coordinators can never be a successful Pokémon League Champion," Jahan said.

"But…you said that you lost the title to Wallace…and I heard that he is a Coordinator," May said.

"Actually…he is a gym leader _and_ a Pokémon Coordinator," Drew added.

"He's a fraud!" Jahan shouted, angrily. "He's nothing but a pretty boy, blue-haired, little pansy who thinks that Pokémon should attack with beauty and grace! Everyone knows that…" Harley then placed duct tape over his mouth. "Thank you Harley," Drew said.

"It was my pleasure. God, he could not just shut up," Harley said.

Suddenly, a loud growling noise echoed throughout the lab. "Um…is anyone else hungry?" May asked.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The four sat down at a lab table and began having lunch with Professor Elm and the other scientists. May and Drew thought that this would be a good time to introduce Chikorita and Cyndaquil to the team. The two released their other Pokémon and began feeding them Pokémon food. While Chikorita was very friendly with her new teammates, Cyndaquil was very quiet during her lunch time with May's Pokémon. Blaziken noticed this. "_Ummm…hey,_" Blaziken said. "_Um…so, you are the new guy huh?_"

"_I'm a girl, you idiot,_" Cyndaquil said.

"_Oh…sorry. It's just that it's hard to tell between a boy Cyndaquil or girl Cyndaquil._"

"_Look…just leave me alone, alright! I hate being 'someone's' Pokémon,"_ Cyndaquil said.

"_Hey it isn't all that bad,_" Munchlax said, shoving food into its bottomless mouth. "_You get free food and May's a really good trainer._"

"_So you like being a captive?_" Cyndaquil asked.

"_Well, captive is a harsh word…_" Eevee said.

"_Not to mention that's not what we are,_" Bulbasaur said.

"_May's a really great trainer. She thinks we're part of her family,_" Munchlax said.

"_That's what they all say. But they have…rules…to follow,_" Cyndaquil said. "_Don't you guys miss being a wild Pokémon_?"

The other four Pokémon thought about it for a minute. "_Um…actually…being a wild Pokémon sucks,_" Blaziken said. "_Before I was caught by Professor Birch, I was getting beaten up by Magikarps…back when I was a Torchic._"

"_Yep, and me…I just hated hunting for food,_" Munchlax said.

"_You guys are weak then,_" Cyndaquil said.

Blaziken then got onto its feet and gave Cyndaquil an angry glare. "_You're…calling me…weak?!_" he asked, angrily. He began cracking his fists. Cyndaquil was a little worried, but she continued on ranting. "_Go ahead, old man!_" she taunted.

Meanwhile, with the trainers, Jahan painfully ripped off the duct tape covering his mouth. "Damn it, Harley! Why did you do that?" Jahan asked.

"Well, you wouldn't be quiet about saying the same thing over and over and over again," Harley said.

"Yeah, I mean, we all know now that you hate Coordinators. We get it. Now shut up about it," Drew said.

"Here, this might cheer you up," Harley said. He then handed Jahan a box of freshly-made cookies. "What's this?" Jahan asked.

"A little gift…" Harley said. Jahan inspected the cookies carefully. "What's the gag here? What are these cookies made out of? Laxatives? Poison?" Jahan asked.

"Nothing of the sort," Harley said. Jahan took the box of cookies, placed it on the floor in front of him, and hen began jumping on them. Harley was shocked. "What in God's names are you doing?!" Harley shouted, angrily.

"What does it look like? I'm smashing them," Jahan said. Jahan then continued to stomp on them until they were nothing but small crumbs. He then handed it back to Harley. "You…you…how dare you disrespect my cookies!" Harley shouted. "Do you understand that there were to be the most delicious things you ever tasted?!"

"That's not what Cyndaquil said," Jahan said.

"Well…May thought they were delicious. Or least she thought that they weren't 'half bad'," Harley said.

"Oh…you still remember that?" May asked shyly.

"See…even May doesn't like your cookies," Jahan said.

"Ohh…I have had it with your…"

"Will you two shut up!" one of the lab assistants shouted, angrily. "God, ever since you guys got here, all you two have done is fight and argue and yell! I can't work like this!"

Most of the Pokémon and trainers and Professor Elm were surprised. "Alright Elm, since you're not doing anything about it, I will!" the assistant said. She grabbed Totodile and lifted him in the air. "This is what all the fighting is about right?" she asked. She placed Totodile on the ground. "Totodile, you get to pick which trainer you want to go to."

Totodile looked at the two trainers in front of him. "Totodile, which trainer would you prefer to travel with?" the assistant asked.

"Pick me and you and I can become Pokémon League Champions!" Jahan said. "Or would you rather be a weak Pokémon doing…contests?"

"Hey, Coordinators like me can be strong too!" Harley shouted. "Besides Totodile, I have cookies! Or…um…I _had_ cookies." Totodile, then hastily began running towards Harley. "Um…Totodile, I'm over here," Jahan said, waving his hands around in the air.

Totodile then stopped in front of Harley. Harley got down on his knees and handed Totodile his box of cookie crumbs. "They may have been brutally destroyed, but you can still take the chocolate chip pieces," Harley said. Totodile quickly looked at the box of crumbs, and then looked up at Harley. He then let out a huge Water Gun attack on his face. "Hey, what are you doing?!" Harley asked, angrily.

"Hahahaha," Jahan laughed. Jahan then began laughing hysterically. May and Drew giggled a bit. "Oh god…wooo…that was rich," Jahan said.

Totodile then began laughing at a drenched Harley. The cookie crumbs began soggy and inedible. "Oh shut up!" Harley shouted. "You're just as evil as him!" Totodile then began running back towards Jahan and hugging his leg. "Alright, good choice, little man!" Jahan said, giving Totodile a high-five.

"But wait…don't you alright have six Pokémon?" Harley asked.

"True, I do," Jahan said. "I guess I'll have to drop off one of my Pokémon."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Sandgem Town in Sinnoh**

**Professor Rowan's Laboratory**

Professor Rowan was set to have dessert. He had a piece of Triple Chocolate Cake sitting on his desk and was preparing to eat. Suddenly…

_**Ring, ring, ring! Ring, ring ring! Phone call! Phone Call!**_

Professor Rowan sighed, angrily. "I hate that phone. It always has to go off during dessert time," Rowan said. He got up from seat and walked over to the picture phone. He answered it. "Yes? This is the Rowan Laboratory," he said.

"_Hello Professor,_" Jahan said.

"Ah, Jahan! Why must you call me during dessert?" Rowan asked.

"_Oh, you eat too much dessert anyway,_" Jahan said. "_Anyway, I'm sending Swampert back with you_."

Suddenly, Swampert's Poké Ball appeared in one of Professor Rowan's machines. "You're sending back your only water Pokémon?" he asked.

"_Not quite,_" Jahan said. "_You see…I have recently obtained a Totodile, a water-type Pokémon. With Swampert on the team, he would impede on his growth._"

"I see," Rowan said. He then took Swampert's Pokémon. "_Just put him with the others_," Jahan said.

"Understood. I'll take good care of him," Rowan said.

"_Well, that's all I got to say. Good-bye, Professor,_" Jahan said.

"Good luck in Johto, Jahan. I'll be watching," Rowan said. He then hung up. He walked back to his desk…and found his chocolate cake gone…eaten. "Alright, who was the one who stole my cake?" Rowan asked, sternly. "I mean it! I want names!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Alright, you guys got your Pokémon," Elm said. "The only thing left to do is register you all for the Pokémon League and the Grand Festival." Harley, Jahan, and May handed Professor Elm their Pokédexes. He then placed them inside a special slot in the computer. "Of course, only one of those two are actually worth going to," Jahan said. "The Pokémon League is where real champions are born. I mean, once you win the championship, they give you a trophy, a spot in the Hall of Fame, and respect beyond your wildest dreams. What do you get for winning some Grand Festival?"

"You win the Ribbon Cup," May said.

"And, it's actually a lot bigger than the Pokémon League Championship," Harley said.

"Yeah, but my title holds more respect," Jahan said.

"But if the Coordinator's trophy is bigger than the trainer's trophy, then that means Coordinators get more respect than trainers," Drew said.

"Not true," Jahan said. "Why would they give a huge trophy to someone who just looks beautiful? It's all about the strength of a Pokémon that everyone truly cares about."

"You know…there are a few people who are both Coordinators and Trainers. They are really powerful people," May said.

"Oh really? Like who?" Jahan asked.

"Well, the guy who would beat you, for one," May said. Drew and Harley began laughing.

"He doesn't count. His win was a sham," Jahan said.

"Oh just face facts! You only hate Coordinators because one beat you!" May shouted angrily.

"I hate Coordinators because they are weak!" Jahan said.

"Oh really?" May asked. She turned to Professor Elm. "Professor, can you also register me for the Pokémon League, too?"

Everyone looked at her in surprise. "So…now you want to do Pokémon gyms?" Elm asked.

"No, I want to do both Pokémon gyms and contests," May said.

"You can't be serious," Jahan said.

"I'm going to show you that a Coordinator like me can succeed in both contests and gym battles," May said.

"Haha, yeah right," laughed Jahan.

"Well, it would be great, being the second Pokémon Coordinator to beat you and win the Johto League Championship," May said.

"That will never happen in a million years!" Jahan said.

"Besides, you doing both in one journey? Won't that overwork you?" Drew asked.

"And what happens if the Grand Festival and the Pokémon League are on the same date?" Harley asked.

"Well fortunately, the Grand Festival and the Pokémon League are about two months apart," Elm said. "But May, can you really do both in one journey?"

"Yeah, I mean to do gym battles you actually have to…you know, battle," Jahan said.

"Shut up!" May shouted, angrily. "You see…this is why I want to do both. I want to show him…and the world…_well, mostly Jahan_…that Pokémon Coordinators are not weak. Besides, it might be a neat experience for me. Please Professor Elm, can't you let me register for both contests and gym battles?"

"Well…there is a guy whose doing that in Sinnoh…" Elm muttered.

"Oh great, May hasn't even started and already the trend is catching on," Jahan said, disapprovingly.

Professor Elm began typing on his computer. "Okay," Elm said.

"Really?!" May asked, excitedly.

"Yep, May you are now part of the Grand Festival and the Pokémon League," Elm said.

"What?!" Jahan, Harley, and Drew asked simultaneously.

"Alright!" May said.

"May, are you sure you can handle doing both contests and gym battles at the same time?" Elm asked.

"Well…it won't be easy," May said. "But I'm hoping that doing a few gym battles will keep my journey a bit exciting."

"Yeah, well to be in the Pokémon League…you have to beat _every_ Johto Gym Leaders," Jahan said.

"I know that!" May said.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After Professor Elm registered Jahan and Drew into the Pokémon League and Grand Festival (respectively), the four trainers stood outside of his lab. "Well, you guys had a long day today," Professor Elm said. "I wish you guys well in the journey ahead of you…especially you, May."

"Why is she so special?" Harley asked, sounding jealous. Drew just nudged his shoulders.

"Good luck to you all," Professor Elm said.

"Luck has nothing to do with it," Jahan said.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

That night, the four were going to spend the night at the Pokémon Center in New Bark Town. May was already dressed in her sleeping clothes and was getting ready for bed. She was making a last minute call to her father. "No dad, that wasn't a computer error. Yes, I really am going to go for gym badges. No, I'm doing contests first. Uh-huh. Well…there's this guy I met on the ferry and…what? No I don't love him! I hate him! He's just…so…he's a big jerk who disrespects Coordinators, just because he was the Pokémon League Champion for Hoenn. Yeah, I never heard of him either. Well…it's getting late here. I better get some sleep. Tomorrow, I begin my journey to Blackthorn City. Good night dad."

May then hung up and continued sitting down on her bed. Blaziken and Cyndaquil were getting situated in the corner. May began thinking about her journey ahead of her. She would go to Blackthorn City and challenge the contest and the gym. Then take the path to the other gyms and the contest in Mahogany Town. Once she reached Ecruteak City, she would go towards Cianwood City and participate in the contest there. She would then backtrack towards Goldenrod City and then back around to Azalea Town (A/N: That is the actual plan I'm going to use for the story).

Suddenly, May's door swung open. "Hey May," Jahan said. May lifted the bed covers up, hiding herself, screaming. "Jahan, you idiot! Don't you ever knock?!" she asked, angrily.

"May, if I shoved you down to the ground, what makes you think I'll knock?" Jahan asked.

"I could have been undressing," May said.

"Oh please, you're wearing clothes," Jahan said.

"This time I am. Next time, I might not be so lucky," May said. "What are you here for, anyway?"

"A battle," Jahan said, bluntly.

"A battle?" May asked. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"May, not only are you going against Coordinators, you will be going against gym leaders, the eight toughest trainers you will ever meet in this region. They will be very tough to beat. Chances are, you won't even beat the first gym leader," Jahan said.

"If you are trying to scare me, it's not working. Look, after watching my friend Ash takes on the eight gym leaders of Hoenn and the Frontier Brains," May said.

"You know Ash Ketchum?" Jahan asked. "Well anyway, you want to battle or not? This will be a practice battle, so I won't enforce the whole 'if you lose, you lose Blaziken' thing."

"Well, when you put it that way, I could practice a bit for my journey. Alright, maybe I will battle you."

"Great, it will be a two-on-two battle. One of your Pokémon has to be the Pokémon you got from Professor Elm. The other one can be any Pokémon you want," Jahan said.

"Fine by me," May said. Jahan then began heading out the door. "And by the way, next time, don't pretend like you have something to hide…because you really don't!" Jahan shouted. May just threw a pillow at him.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

May and Jahan met each other in an empty field behind the Pokémon Center. The two were still dressed in their nightwear (A/N: May in a nightgown and Jahan with a white shirt and sweat pants). "So you decided to show up?" Jahan asked. He then let out a huge yawn.

"Getting tired, champ?" May asked.

"Me? Yeah, you wish. After I beat you in less than a minute, I'm calling it a day," Jahan yawned. "Did you bring your Pokémon?"

"I sure did. I am ready to defeat you."

"Don't count on it," Jahan said. He then took out two Poké Balls and threw them into the air. "Totodile, Tyranitar! Go!" Jahan shouted.

First, Totodile jumped out and began dancing a bit before getting settled. Then, the colossal Tyranitar came out and let out a huge roar. "Tyranitar, you're going to wake everybody up!" Jahan scolded. Tyranitar stood 6 feet over Totodile, who was only 2 feet tall. "Wow, Tyranitar is pretty big," May said. She then threw in her two Poké Balls. "Alright, Cyndaquil and Munchlax, go!" Munchlax and Cyndaquil appeared in the battlefield. Though, it seemed like neither of the two wanted to battle. Munchlax was imitated by Tyranitar's massive size. Cyndaquil…well, she hated May and Munchlax. "Come on, you guys. Pull yourselves together," May said.

"Hahaha, oh man. Is that really the best you got? This will be too easy," Jahan said. "Tyranitar, you can go ahead and sit back. Totodile can easily take these two out."

Tyranitar hated having to sit out on a battle, but it seemed better to sleep than to waste time with two weaklings. "Alright Totodile, use Water Gun on Cyndaquil!" Jahan shouted. Totodile then unleashed a huge water gun heading towards Cyndaquil. "Cyndaquil, dodge it and use Ember!" she shouted. Cyndaquil just held her ground. Munchlax jumped in front of her and took the Water Gun attack. May was getting frustrated.

"Oh come on, Cyndaquil!" May said. "That Water Gun would have weakened you! Munchlax, use Focus Punch!"

Munchlax began concentrating and was getting his small fist pumped. "Totodile, stop him with Rage!" Jahan shouted. Totodile began getting angry and he began slashing his claws at Munchlax. Munchlax lost his focus and then stepped aside. Totodile then changed directions, but was soon met with Munchlax's fist. "Alright, Munchlax!" May shouted happily.

"Totodile, recover and use Scary Face!" Jahan shouted. Totodile got onto his feet and then made a face so scary, Munchlax stopped in its place. Totodile, then unleashed another Water Gun onto Munchlax, knocking him down. Cyndaquil began laughing. "This is not funny! Your partner is in trouble and you're not doing anything about it!" May said, angrily.

"_I never wanted to be part of this match in the first place_," Cyndaquil said. Munchlax got up suddenly and then began dragging Cyndaquil into the battlefield. "_I don't want to battle!_" Cyndaquil argued.

"_You're going to battle Totodile and you're going to like it,_" Munchlax said. "_Now listen to whatever May says and do it!_"

"_She's turned you into nothing but a mindless slave!_" Cyndaquil said.

"Totodile, take her out with Water Gun!" Jahan said. Totodile was hesitating to use Water Gun on someone he's known for a long time. "_Sorry about this,_" Totodile said. He then shot out a powerful geyser of water from his mouth. Cyndaquil rolled to the side. "Good evasion! Now, use Ember!" May shouted.

"_Ummmmm…I think Tackle is a better attack,_" Cyndaquil thought. She then tackled Totodile down to the ground. "I said use Ember!" May scolded.

"_I will use Ember when I feel like it!_" Cyndaquil said.

"Totodile, use Rage!" Jahan shouted. Totodile again got angry and began scratching its claws at Cyndaquil. "Munchlax, help Cyndaquil out with Metronome!"

Munchlax's fingers began glowing a bright blue as Munchlax began thinking about what move to use. "It's no use using Metronome. You'll probably get some random…" Suddenly, Munchlax's mouth got bigger and bigger. And when Munchlax opened it, hundreds of tiny Combee came out and began attacking Totodile with lasers. Totodile was then weakened. "What was that?" Jahan asked. "Was that Attack Order?"

"Attack Order?" May asked.

"Only Vespiquen can use Attack Order," Jahan said. "Totodile, come on! Get up!"

Totodile was struggling to get up. "This is bad," Jahan said. "I might have to put Tyranitar in."

"Alright Cyndaquil, use Flamethrower to finish him off!" May shouted.

"_Maybe not_," Cyndaquil.

"_Oh just do it!_" Munchlax said.

"_You do realize that even if we take care of Totodile, we still have Tyranitar to deal with,_" Cyndaquil said.

"Don't worry, Tyranitar isn't even remotely strong," May said.

"_What?!_" Tyranitar asked, angrily. "_I'll show you weak!_"

"Tyranitar, show your strength and take the two out with Stone Edge!" Jahan shouted, proudly.

Tyranitar then got extremely angry and punched the ground so hard, that sharp stones flew up into the air. Once Cyndaquil and Munchlax saw the rocks heading for them, they began panicking. The rocks landed on the two, burying them in rumble. "Munchlax! Cyndaquil! No!" May shouted.

Once the smoke cleared, both Cyndaquil and Munchlax were knocked out! May was shocked. She fell to her knees in disbelief. "No way. I-I lost," she said. Jahan has won the battle, so easily! "That was pathetic," Jahan said.

"Well, at least I didn't lose Blaziken. I tried my best," May said.

"Your best?! If you think that you can actually win using your little cutesy Pokémon like Eevee and Munchlax, you are sadly mistaken. Not only that, but you're going to have to tame that disobedient Cyndaquil. Why don't you just stick to contests?"

"I'm already committed to the Pokémon gyms. I won't give up. So I may have lost the first match we had, but I'm still learning. And if one of my Pokémon were being held as a prize, I would do everything in my power to win him back."

"Be thankful that Blaziken wasn't up for grabs," Jahan said, scornfully. "Now the next time we battle, I expect better Pokémon from you." Jahan and his Pokémon then left May in the field. She was beginning to feel desperately. It looked like she was going to win, but then Tyranitar easily won with one move. "_I hate to admit it, but…maybe when Jahan was saying that he was a former Pokémon League Champion, he wasn't blowing smoke._"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**NEXT TIME…**

After May's humiliating loss against Jahan's Pokémon, she begins to doubt herself as a Pokémon Trainer. Now she's thinking about going back home…yeah right! May has never given up before, but…she still has doubts about her herself. Maybe Drew can help her out a bit…(wink, wink)…


	6. On the Road to Blackthorn City!

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

All right, my last year at high school has just begun (class of 2009, y'all!) and I was very busy, but I'm back with the story!

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Tackle, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Cyndaquil (Ember, Smokescreen, Tackle, Quick Attack)

Squirtle (Ice Beam, Tackle, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

REVIEW REPLIES

**Permanently Scarred:** I'm glad you like the story! I thought it was funny too. I think May could do gyms. It might be hard, but her dad's a gym leader. I'm sure she had a few practice battles with her dad once in a while.

**C.A.M.E.O.1 and Only:** Get in line with the other Jahan haters.

**Beautifly-Soul****: **I don't know why you wouldn't like the story. Who doesn't love a bit of May x Drew, except for probably May x Ash fans.

**Kittypride16****:** I think Drew would be great in gym battles, too. He does have the tough Pokémon and they are all pretty varied, but he only does Pokémon contests. That's probably why Jahan hates him so much (he has strong Pokémon, but for battling). You feel sorry for Harley? I was the one who wrote the scene and he has been giving me the stink-eye ever since.

**xXSeiren-HimeXx:** May should have won, but remember Jahan is a former Pokémon League Champion. He doesn't lose easily.

Alright, onto chapter 6 of "Pokémon Contest Chronicles!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_After some hunting and chasing down, May, Drew, Harley, and Jahan were able to recapture the Johto starters. Even after it was caught, Cyndaquil refused to obey May…or anyone, for that matter. Despite its rebellious behavior, May chooses Cyndaquil as her new travel partner. Drew picked Chikorita. When it came down to who gets Totodile…things got out of hand._

_Jahan and Harley kept arguing about who picks Totodile. It wasn't until one of Elm's lab assistants decided to settle things once and for all. Letting Totodile pick his trainer, it looked as if he picked Harley, but a Water Gun attack to the face later and we find out that Jahan is Totodile's new trainer. During registrations, May, wanting to take Jahan's challenge, makes the announcement that she will register for both contests and gyms! A lot of people question that decision._

_That night, May and Jahan had a late-night battle. It was May's Munchlax and Cyndaquil VS Jahan's Totodile and Tyranitar. The battle only lasted for a minute. Jahan would then go on to talk her down, criticizing her decision._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: New Bark Town**

**Pokémon Center**

The moon was high above the Johto Mountains. The lantern lights of New Bark Town illuminated the streets and pathways. Young trainers were in the Pokémon Center, sleeping the night away. Well…at least everybody but May.

May was in her room, turning and tossing in her bed. She tried to get back to sleep after her battle with Jahan, but it was no good. She had too much on her mind right now. The battle she had with Jahan really shook her up. "_Jahan wasn't kidding when he said he was the best,_" May thought. "_But…that means the real Johto League Champion is as tough as he is, probably even tougher. The gym leaders will also be really strong too. Ohh, I wonder if I made a big mistake signing up for both Contests and Gyms was a good idea?"_

She sat up in her bed and saw her Pokémon bundled up in a corner. She then looked at Cyndaquil, who was very disobedient during her battle with Jahan. "_Not too mention, I also promised Professor Elm that I would break Cyndaquil in. But it doesn't look like I made any progress_," she said, quietly. She then fell backwards into her bed. "_Ohhh…maybe I should just get Professor Elm to drop me out of Pokémon gyms,_" she thought.

She was up all night, trying to figure out what to do. Should she forego gym battles and just do Pokémon Contests…or should she screw what Jahan said and do what she wants?

Finally, she had an idea. She grabbed a few PokéBlocks from her bag and set them up on a table. "Okay, here's what I will do," May says to herself. "For every down side to this, I'll place a spicy PokéBlock on the left. For every good thing to it, I'll put a sweet PokéBlock on the right. Alright, here we go." May begins to think about the situation. After a few hours, she had her list.

**PROS:**

-If she gets all eight badges, then she can become Pokémon League Champion. Add that to her Johto Grand Festival Ribbon, she'll be a double champion, probably the youngest in history.

-Pokémon Gyms might be fun to do for a change.

-Since her father is a gym leader, some…um…gym leader-ness must have passed down to her.

-She can rub the title in Jahan's face.

-Jahan is a has-been anyway.

**CONS:**

-Gym leaders fight with pure brute force, very different from contests.

-Doing both contests and gyms might be a bit hectic a times.

-Her Pokémon don't seem strong enough to handle some of the gym leaders' Pokémon. And since their abilities were trained for contests and not gyms, it might be hard to win those badges.

-If Grand Festival and Pokémon League somehow end up on the same date, it can be hard to do both. She might have to choose one over the other.

"Wow, both sides are equal on this one," said May. "Either way, there's a downside and upside to everything." May rubbed the side of her head. She then took a look at Blaziken, who was sitting in the corner, sleeping. "_Oh yeah, I forgot. If I lose to Jahan, he gets to keep Blaziken. And judging from last night's battle…_" May got up and headed outside on the balcony. "I think some fresh air would do me some good," she said.

Outside, May watched as New Bark Town was lit up by many bright lights. She listened as the cars passed by and the police siren sounded once in a while. "It sure looks pretty at night," May said.

"May?" said a voice. May turned to her left and saw Drew, standing on the balcony. "Drew? What are you doing up so late?" she asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," Drew said.

"Well, I…I couldn't really sleep," May said.

"You're excited too?" Drew asked. "I can't wait to see what kind of great Coordinators Johto has to offer. Of course, I'll beat them all, but it would be nice to see them."

"Oh…well, I was worried that…well…about the gym leaders…" May begins to say.

"Yeah, you took us by surprise when you said you were doing both gyms and contest," Drew said.

"Well, I thought it would be easy, but then me and Jahan had a double battle. I lost to him."

"Oh…but, did you lose Blaziken?" Drew asked.

"Thankfully, no. But, well when he says he was a former Pokémon League Champion. He's not kidding."

"Ah, he was just bluffing about that. Jahan can't be that powerful."

"He is," May said. "His Tyranitar was very powerful."

"Well yeah, but Tyranitar are supposed to be powerful. Listen May, if you _really_ want to do Pokémon gyms, you'll be happy to know that not all of the gym leaders are as tough as Jahan. The Elite Four is different, but most gym leaders should be…easier than Jahan," Drew said.

"Thanks, but I'm still a little anxious," May said.

"Don't be. Just think. Nobody has ever tried doing both gyms and contests. If you actually manage to do both, then…that's something."

"Thanks Drew," May said. "It really helps that you're talking to me."

"Well, don't forget, if I see you in a contest, you're a rival," Drew said. "But in between, I'll help you out…especially if it's problems with Jahan."

"Thank you Drew," May said. She got up and headed back to her room. "Good night Drew," May said.

"Good nig…"

Soon, they saw the sun peaking over the mountains of Johto. The sun began brightening up New Bark Town. It was now dawn. "Oh…well, I guess it's good morning now," Drew said.

"Wow," May said. "It's so beautiful."

"Yeah," Drew said.

"I better get ready for my journey. I'm going to head towards Blackthorn City. That's going to be my first gym slash contest town."

"Well, good luck May. And remember, don't let Jahan or anyone else tell you that you can't do it," Drew said. May just smiled as she walked back in to get dressed.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LATER ON THAT DAY…**

With a farewell, May walked down Route 29 with her gear and Blaziken on her side. Obviously, since she didn't get a good night's sleep. She continued to yawn as she walked up one of the small hills of Route 29. "Man, I didn't know I was up all night," May said. "Hopefully we can't make it to the next Pokémon Center before the sun goes down."

May continued having thoughts about her doing contests and her next battle with Jahan. "The next time I meet Jahan, I'll have to be a lot stronger than I am now," May said. "Of course, a bunch of new Pokémon wouldn't hurt either." May then had an idea. "Maybe I should start looking for new Johto Pokémon. I wonder what Pokémon lives here."

Throughout the day, May was looking around for Pokémon to catch, but she was looking for something to stand out in contests. So far, there was nothing extraordinary. Soon, she reached the point where Route 29 and Route 46 split off. She placed her bags down. "Okay, I'm going to stop and rest," May said. She sat against a wall of rocks placed along the dirt path. She took out her PokéNav and checked the time. It was 12:35 p.m. "Wow, I was walking for a long time," she said to herself.

She then let out a huge sigh. "I kind of miss being with Ash and Brock…and Max. They always kind of kept me company," she said to herself. She then took out a few PokéBlocks and some food that she bought at the Pokémon Center before leaving. "Not too mention, Brock was a better cook than I am," she said. She then took out her Poké Balls. "All guys, lunch time!" she said, happily.

Munchlax, Blaziken, Cyndaquil, Eevee, and Squirtle came out and sat in front of May. "Alright guys," she said. She then lifted up a medium bag of Pokémon food. "It's lunchtime!"

The five Pokémon got into a circle as May poured food into their bowl. Cyndaquil was the last one to be fed. "Here you go, Cyndaquil!" said May, happily. "Dig in!" Cyndaquil sniffed her food and then she shoved it aside. "_What are you doing?_" Munchlax asked.

"_I refuse to be fed by the likes of a trainer_," Cyndaquil said.

"_So…you're on a hunger strike?_" Munchlax asked.

"_Kind of…_" Cyndaquil said.

"_Oh…okay then,_" Munchlax said. He then swiped her bowl and began eating her food.

"Munchlax, that's Cyndaquil's food!" she scolded.

"_She doesn't want it_," Munchlax said. "_She's on a hunger strike. Why waste food on her?_"

"Oh…she is now?" May asked. She then took the bowl from Munchlax (A/N: Much to his dismay).

May walked to Cyndaquil and then kneeled down to her level. "Cyndaquil, why are you not eating?" May asked. Cyndaquil remained silent. "Oh, so now you're not talking to me? Listen, I don't care if you like me or not, but I'm not going to let you starve. Now eat your food!" May said, angrily.

"_No,_" Cyndaquil said.

May was starting to get really mad at Cyndaquil, but she tried to hold back her anger. "_Come on May. You can do this. As much as you like to, do not hurt Cyndaquil. Let's see…I know, reverse psychology!_" she thought. She turned her attention back to Cyndaquil. "Okay then, I guess I'll give it to Blaziken," she said.

"_Huh?_" Blaziken asked. May turned her head slightly and winked at Blaziken. Blaziken then got the hint. "Yep, Blaziken is a much better fire Pokémon than you," May said. "I would rather nurture a strong Fire-type Pokémon instead of some weakling like you."

"_Yeah! Beat it, you small…Pokémon thing,_" Blaziken said.

"_Haha, reverse psychology,_" Cyndaquil said. "_I'm laughing because I can't believe that you guys would actually believe that will work. Besides, Blaziken's an old rooster._"

"_Oh, really? I may be three years old, but I still have the power to beat you in a battle._"

"_Oh please, you were trained by a person. I'm a wild Pokémon! We're tougher than trainer Pokémon._"

"_I sense a challenge coming on_," Blaziken said.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Alright, the battle between Cyndaquil and Blaziken will now commence!" May shouted between the two Pokémon.

"_Alright! Let's do this!_" Squirtle shouted.

"_Cool, lunch theatre!_" Munchlax said, happily eating his food.

"Alright, begin!" May shouted.

"_Here I come!_" Blaziken said. "_Don't expect me to go easy on you!_"

"_Don't hurt yourself, old man!"_ Cyndaquil said.

Blaziken began running towards Cyndaquil with its tall, mighty legs. "Cyndaquil, roll and use Quick Attack!" May shouted.

Cyndaquil ran at him and rolled between his legs. Blaziken was cut off-guard when Cyndaquil turned around and launched an Ember attack at Blaziken. "What are you doing?!" May asked, angrily.

"_What are you doing? That doesn't hurt at all!_" taunted Blaziken. Blaziken then took a deep breath…and then let out a huge Flamethrower at Cyndaquil! "_Whoa,_" the other Pokémon said.

"Wow, I forgot how powerful Blaziken was," May said to herself.

When the smoke cleared, Cyndaquil was covered in black. "_Wow,_" Cyndaquil said. She then shook herself off. "_Well, maybe you're not as old as you look. But…well, I can do this!_"

"_Maybe you should listen to May. She seems to know…_"

"_Oh shut up! I don't need May!_" interrupted Cyndaquil.

"Cyndaquil, jump up and use Tackle!" May said.

Cyndaquil then let out a huge black smokescreen, which covered the whole battlefield! "No! Not Smokescreen!" May shouted. May and her Pokémon began coughing and covering their eyes. "_I can't see!_" Eevee shouted.

"_Where's my food?_" Munchlax asked, frantically.

The smokescreen was starting to fade. Cyndaquil was flying in the air. "How did see get up there?" May asked. Suddenly, she saw Blaziken in the air, with a fist to Cyndaquil. "Oh no, he's using Sky Uppercut!" May said.

While Cyndaquil was still in the air, Blaziken front-flipped into the air and then kicked Cyndaquil down into the ground. His leg was on fire! "_Oh no, Blaze Kick!_" Squirtle said. The two continue falling to the ground. Blaziken's Blaze Kick had enough force to create a huge crater in the ground! "_Holy…_" Munchlax said, as the force made his food fly back. The other Pokémon held their ground as the wind and dust cleared.

When the smoke cleared, Blaziken was on his own two feet. Cyndaquil was knocked out on its back. May quickly ran over to Cyndaquil. "Blaziken, you went a little bit too far!" she scolded.

"_Okay, maybe I did go a bit overboard. But she said that she was better than me…_" Blaziken said in his defense.

May jumped into the crater and helped the small Pokémon. "Cyndaquil? Cyndaquil! Are you okay?" May asked. Cyndaquil was replying at all. "Oh no," May said.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Cyndaquil was taken care of by May. She was now covered in bandages and she was recovering from her battle with Blaziken. "_Whoa, my head really hurts,_" Cyndaquil said.

"_Still think I'm weak?_" Blaziken asked. "_Remember, you can be as strong as me too. May teaches me everything I needed to know._"

"_But she's a trainer!_" Cyndaquil protested.

"_Yes but she's a good trainer!_" Eevee said.

"_She takes care of us and she's really nice!_" Squirtle said.

"_Yeah, and the best part…she always has food with her!_" Munchlax said.

"_Is…is she really that good?_" Cyndaquil asked.

"_Yeah,_" Blaziken said.

Cyndaquil thought about it for a moment. Suddenly, May dropped a bowl of Pokémon food at her feet. "Here," May said, happily. "Sorry it's not a lot, but I like to carefully ration the food, so that way we have plenty for the trip."

"_Right…sure,_" Cyndaquil said.

"Now, I trust that we won't have any more of your bad attitude on this trip right?" May asked. Cyndaquil thought for a moment. "_You're alright, May. But I still don't like you_," Cyndaquil said.

"I don't care if you don't like me, just fight for me. I can make you stronger, but you have to listen to me. Someday, you might be able to be better than Blaziken."

"_Hmmm, on one hand I can become stronger. But then I have to listen to you. I don't know. I guess I'll give you a shot and see where it goes._"

"Well, I'm sure you'll grow to like me once the journey is over," May said.

"_I highly doubt that,"_ Cyndaquil said.

"We have five contests and eight gyms. Chances are, you'll like it sooner or later," May said. Cyndaquil then joined the other Pokémon as they finished up with their lunch.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**NEXT TIME…**

After a quick lunch break, May continues her quest towards Blackthorn City, home to her first contest and to her first gym. On the way, she meets up with an old friend who tries to help her with Cyndaquil and training for the first gym battle. Who is this old friend? Find out in the next chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"!

Sorry about not putting as much May x Drew as I wished I could, but I want to save all the gushy stuff for later. For this story, I'm trying to keep everything at a nice brisk pace, kind of like the Kanto episodes were. In fact, I'm sure that in about two to three episodes, May will already be in Blackthorn City.

As for a traveling companion, I'm still working on it. It's kind of boring if May is alone.


	7. May's First Gym Battle! May VS Clair!

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

Happy New Year, everybody! I hope you people had a great 2008 and here's hoping that the year 2009 will be even greater. I can't wait! This year, I will graduate high school and begin life as a college freshman!

Now onto the story…

I hated the last chapter. I really do. I'm sorry, but I hate doing in-between route stories. They are just so boring to do. It is mainly because in today's Pokémon anime, the in-between routes are repetitive. I don't know how the animators of the series do it.

Therefore, this chapter will begin with May arriving in Blackthorn City…I would delete the last chapter, but then you guys couldn't leave reviews for this chapter, so I'll leave it at that.

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Tackle, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Cyndaquil (Ember, Smokescreen, Tackle, Quick Attack)

Squirtle (Ice Beam, Tackle, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_After May lost to Jahan in a feeble attempt to defeat him, May began feeling a little bit depressed and worried that she might not make it through her journey. With a few words of encouragement from Drew, she puts these doubts aside and being her journey to becoming Johto's first ever "double champion" (someone who has won both the Grand Festival and the Pokémon League)._

_Of course, she also had the job to tame Cyndaquil. Being a wild Pokémon her whole life, Cyndaquil refused to listen to May…even when May was being nice. Cyndaquil then insulted Blaziken, which resulted in an unmanned Pokémon battle. Blaziken easily defeated Cyndaquil. After that, Cyndaquil began to warm up May…sort of._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After having a quick lunch break, May and Blaziken continued on the way to Blackthorn City. She went climbing up Route 45, which was littered with steep edges and jagged rocks. May had to do a lot of climbing.

She and Blaziken continued walking up the steep slopes. She raised her hand and grabbed onto a rock sticking out from the wall. "Oh man, the only time I ever did rock climbing was at a festival…and I hated it then!" she said.

She looked up above. She saw Blaziken, who was a few steps higher than she was. "Wait up, Blaziken!" May shouted.

Blaziken stepped onto a flat part of the cliff wall. He then extended his hand out towards May. May grabbed his hand and Blaziken dragged May up the wall to where he stood. Once she reached flat ground, she examined her legs. Cuts and scrapes covered her legs. "Man, those rocks were hard to climb," May said. She then set her bag down besides her and took a big sip from her water bottle. "I'm so tired," she said, exhausted.

"_Yeah, me too,_" Blaziken said.

Then, both May and Blaziken looked in front of them. It was all downhill from here, and at the bottom, there was a medium-sized city. "Wow, that's looks like a nice town," said May.

"_May, look!_" Blaziken said, pointing at a sign nearby. May turned and looked at the sign. It read "WELCOME TO BLACKTHORN CITY!" May began smiling and laughing happily. "We made it! We're finally here in Blackthorn City!" she said. She then got onto her feet, before falling down again. "Um…Blaziken, my legs are _really_ sore," she said.

"_I'm on it_," Blaziken said. He then picked up May and put her on his back. He then began rushing off towards Blackthorn City. "Alright, Blackthorn City, here we come!" May said happily.

Soon enough, the two finally entered Blackthorn City. Blackthorn City, known as "A Quiet Mountain Retreat", was usually a peaceful town up high in the mountains. It was also known for being home to the Dragon's Den, the entrance to the Dragon's Den, the Blackthorn City Gym, and, recently, the Blackthorn City Contest Hall (one of the most prestigious in the Johto region).

May and Blaziken headed over to the Blackthorn Pokémon Center. Once May jumped off Blaziken's back and dropped off her Pokémon, she instantly fell over onto the Center's couch. "Owww…I am so exhausted," she groaned. "Get me a few minutes to rest…"

"Jeez, it took you long enough," said a voice.

May shot up when she heard _that _familiar voice. "_Oh no, please don't let it be…him_," said May. She shot up and turned around. There he was with a Croconaw at his side…Jahan. "Hi May," he said. "What's wrong? Your Pokémon can't climb mountains?"

"What are you doing here?" May asked.

"I just got here…and I already won my Rising Badge," said Jahan. He then showed May the Rising Badge that he won from the Blackthorn Gym. "You already beat the gym leader?" May asked.

"Yeah…it was pretty easy, especially for me, a former Pokémon League Champion," he boasted.

May then noticed the Croconaw sitting next to him. "Hey, that Pokémon you have… that wouldn't happen to be…"

"What? You mean, Croconaw?" Jahan asked. "Yeah, that was the Totodile I left with. We did a lot of training while climbing up the mountains. After that, he just happened to evolve. So, what about Cyndaquil? Has she evolved yet?"

"Cyndaquil…she doesn't need to evolve. I'm in no hurry to make her evolve," May said.

"So…it's still disobeying you?" Jahan asked. May just looked away. "I knew it. Well, I don't blame her. Coordinators never push their Pokémon to their full potential, and that's why she doesn't want to listen to you," Jahan said.

"Oh shut up!" May said. "Cyndaquil and I are doing just fine!"

"Whatever," said Jahan? "Hey…you're not seriously going to go up against the gym leader…are you?"

"I said I would show you that Coordinators can easily win gym badges, just like trainers can," May said.

"So, you're really going to try and do this?" Jahan asked. "Well, Blackthorn City's Gym Leader Clair is no pushover. She is one of the strongest gym leaders in the Johto region. Actually, she _is_ the strongest gym leader in the region."

"Really? Well, if I beat her, than the other gym leaders should fall like dominoes," said May. Jahan then suddenly grabbed her face and forced her to look into his eyes. "May, I'm telling you this for your own good…stick to Pokémon Contests. A mediocre coordinator like you doesn't belong in the gym," Jahan said in her face.

"Mediocre?!?" May asked angrily. She then kicked him in the shins, making him let go. "I'll have you know that I'm one of the best Coordinators around!"

"And that's why you lost every Grand Festival you're in?" Jahan asked.

"Ah! Well, at least I didn't lose my championship to a coordinator!"

"He cheated to win!"

"You lost because you probably got cocky and you overlooked a great coordinator like Wallace!"

"He isn't that great," Jahan said.

"He's a Pokémon Champion, a gym leader, and an excellent coordinator!" May shouted.

"Like I said, he's not that special," said Jahan.

"Oh!" May shouted. She then fell back down, her body still sore.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After healing her Pokémon, she began walking around Blackthorn City. She then arrives to a place where the path branches off into two different directions. One leads to the Contest Hall, the other goes off to the Blackthorn Gym. "Hmmm…I wonder what I should start with first," said May. She then recalled Jahan's words:

"_Well, Blackthorn City's Gym Leader Clair is no pushover. She is one of the strongest gym leaders in the Johto region. Actually, she is the strongest gym leader in the region…_"

"The strongest gym leader in Johto? She can't be that strong," said May.

She looked up again at the Contest Hall and the gym. "Clair can't be that strong," said May. She made her decision. She took the right path towards the gym…but then, she stopped. She reconsidered her choice. "Um…I better make sure that I register for the Blackthorn City Contest first," said May. She then began heading over to the Blackthorn Contest Hall.

Since contests were recently introduced in Johto, the Contest Hall was new. Even the contest rules have a few changes to it. Many trainers headed to Johto to see the changes and increase their chances of entering the Grand Festival.

May joined the long line in front of the building, near the registration decks. May was a little nervous, but she pumped herself back up. "Alright, this is it!" said May. "My first contest in Johto…I'm going to win in!"

"Next!" shouted the receptionist. May move forward, out of the line and to the registration desk. "Hello," the receptionist said.

"Hi, um…my name is May, from Petalburg City in Hoenn."

"Let me see your Pokédex." May then handed her Pokédex. The receptionist plugged her Pokédex into the computer. May's information was entered in. Once everything was done, the receptionist handed May her Pokédex. "So, what kind of contest will you be entering in?" asked the receptionist.

"Um…what kind? Um…I don't know," said May.

"Well, we have three categories: Beauty, Cool, and Cute," said the receptionist.

"Wait a minute…there are more than one contest categories?"

"I know, you're not used to it, but that's how contests are done in Johto."

"Um…I guess I'll enter the beauty contest," May said.

"Okay then." She pressed a few keys on her keyboard.

"Okay, you're all set," she said.

"Thank you," May said.

"Now, it says here that you're from Petalburg City. That's from Hoenn, correct?"

"That's right."

"Well, we have some more different rules in the Johto contests that are not in the Hoenn contests." She then grabs a pamphlet. "This should explain everything."

May sat down on a nearby bench and looked over the rules for the Johto Pokémon contests. They read as followed:

_-There are three different categories that you may enter: Beauty, Cool, and Cute. To enter the Grand Festival, you must have at least five ribbons of the same color._

_-If you enter a contest category, you may change it ONLY if you have not won a Johto ribbon yet._

_-The contest will consist of three rounds:_

_**Round One**__: Appearance…The Pokémon and the Trainer will dress up in an outfit. The criteria and judging will be based on whatever category you're in._

_**Round Two**__: Appeal…The Pokémon will use its moves to put on a show for the audience. The judges and audiences' reactions will determine if you move on._

_**Round Three**__: Battle Round…The Pokémon will face off against another Pokémon to showcase their battle strategy. The moves must stay beautiful/cool/cute. You may face off against someone from a different category._

_-Whoever wins the battle round tournament will win the ribbon of their category._

"Wow…this is way different from what I'm used to," May said.

"Well then, best thing you can do is just head home," said a voice. May perked her head up and saw Harley, standing over her. "Hello May," said Harley. "You're probably lost. This place is only for good Coordinators."

"That's a good one, Harley," May said, sarcastically. "You're here for the contest, right?"

"No, I'm here to shine people's shoes. Honestly May, I am a Coordinator. What do you think I would do at a Contest Hall?"

"Okay, no need for the sarcasm," said May.

"Well, no need for dumb questions," Harley said.

"So what category did you enter in?" asked May.

"Well, it was very hard to choose, but I decided that my Pokémon would excel in a beauty contest," said Harley.

"Did Drew sign up yet?" asked May.

"Funny you should mention Drew," Harley said. "I haven't seen him since we left Newbark Town."

"Ah, I was looking forward to facing him in a contest," said May.

"Oh well…perhaps we'll run into him later," said Harley. "So…how's the whole fighting-gym-leaders thing?"

"I haven't started yet," said May.

"There is a gym here," said Harley.

"Yeah…but…"

"She's too scared to take on Clair, the Blessed User of Dragon Pokémon," said another familiar voice.

Harley and May immediately noticed the voice and got angry. "Jahan!" Harley shouted, turning around.

"That's right!" Jahan said, with Croconaw standing by him. "What's going on Harry?"

"Harley!" Harley corrected, rather angrily.

"Arty?" Jahan asked.

"HARLEY!" Harley shouted.

"Jahan, what are you doing here at a Contest Hall? Don't tell me you're here to harass Coordinators," said May.

"Of course I am! They deserve it for forcing Pokémon to do this," said Jahan.

"Jahan, please stop talking. Everything you say is complete trash," said May.

"Besides, you're not one to talk. You force Pokémon to gamble themselves away to different trainers!" protested Harley.

"Hey, I always ask them if they want to be used as trophies. They always agree with me!" Jahan said.

"Well, these Pokémon are never forced to do contests," said May.

"Oh, don't give me that!" Jahan said. "So, have you taken on Clair, yet?"

"No! I haven't fought her yet! Will people get off my back?!?" May asked, angrily.

May looked around and realized that everyone in the room was now staring at her. "I'm going outside," said May. She got up and stormed out of the Contest Hall. "I guess she lost to Clair," said Jahan.

"Quiet you," said Harley.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

May was outside, trying to calm herself down. From far away, she could see the Blackthorn City Gym from afar. She was still thinking about if she should challenge Clair. "_Jahan did say that Clair was a tough gym leader,_" she thought to herself. "_But then again…he says a lot of things._" May took a deep breath and began walking over to the gym.

The Blackthorn City Gym is a three, probably four-story, building that stood tall about Blackthorn City. The sheer size impressed May as she walked towards the entrance. "If the size of the building is anything, maybe Clair is the real deal," said May.

Two monks stood by the door. "Someone approaches," said a monk. May then walked up and noticed the two standing on both sides of the path. "Um hi," she said.

"Who are you?" asked a monk.

"I am May from Petalburg City," said May. "I'm here to challenge Clair to a gym battle."

"Hmmmm…you seem like someone who is new to gym battles," said the monk.

"Huh?" asked May.

"Your spiritual aura gives it away," said the other monk.

"You should have gone to the Violet City Gym and faced Falkner," said the monk.

"But…if you insist on challenging Clair, then…you may enter," the monk said.

The door then opened inwards. The inside of the gym was dark and hard-to-see. "Um…thank you," May said. She then entered the building.

Inside, the room was barren and open. There were balconies that overlooked the first floor. In the middle of the room, there was a huge pool of water that nearly took up all of the space inside. "Wow…some gym," May said to herself.

A young woman with a black cape and a blue ponytail was standing in the center of the gym, with two small Pokémon beside her: a Bagon and a Gible. There were two boulders standing in front of them. "Alright you three!" the woman demanded. "Use whatever you learned to break those boulders!"

Bagon and Gible planned to use Take Down. He began running on its hind legs and rammed his head into the boulder. It did not break, but it left a nasty crack. Gible, however, wasn't able to leave a scratch. "Hmmm…well, you're getting better," said Clair.

"Um…excuse me? Are you…the gym leader?" May asked, finally.

The caped woman turned around and saw May below her. "Yes, I am Clair, the gym leader of the Blackthorn City. Can I help you?" she asked.

"My name is May from Petalburg City," May said, introducing herself.

"Well…welcome to the Blackthorn City Gym," Clair said.

May looked down and saw Gible, sitting on the floor with its sharp teeth exposed. "I never saw that Pokémon before," said May.

"It's one of the new Pokémon that migrated here from the Sinnoh region," explained Clair. May took out her Pokédex and looked up Gible.

**POKéDEX ENTRY: GIBLE**

**The Land Shark Pokémon**

_Gible lives in tunnels it constructs inside warm caves due to its preference to heat similar to that of tropical climates._

"Oh, he's so cute!" May said. She was going to pick him up, but Gible's sharp teeth made her move back in fright. "Yeah, be careful. Gible loves to bite people," said Clair. "I was training them to become strong Dragon Pokémon. Bagon's in training too."

"So…these are your only Dragon-type Pokémon?" May asked.

"Oh no, I have much stronger Dragon-type Pokémon," said Clair. She then blew a huge whistle with her fingers.

Suddenly, a huge Dragonite, Salamence, and Garchomp. They were all bigger than their 'baby' selves. "Wow…" May said.

"Yep, these three are the best that the Dragon Clan has. Garchomp was a new Dragon-type Pokémon that they discovered in the Sinnoh region," said Clair. May again pulled out her Pokédex and looked up Garchomp.

**POKéDEX ENTRY: GARCHOMP**

**The Mach Pokémon**

_The evolved form of Gabite, Garchomp can fly at sonic speeds, similar to a jet fighter plane. It will never allow its prey to escape._

"They…are…_so_ huge!" May said. "I think I'll stick with the baby Pokémon. Hey Clair, maybe I can help with your training," said May. "I'm here for a gym battle!"

"Oh, are you now?" Clair asked. "Very well…as the gym leader, I have no choice but to accept your challenge." Clair then looked at May suspiciously. "Hmmm…" she said.

"Ummm…yes?" asked May.

"Something tells me that you have never been in a battle against a gym leader," said Clair.

"Um…well…I never…competed against a gym leader. You're going to be the first one," May said.

"Oh…oh dear," Clair said. "If you have never faced a gym leader before, you should have started with the Violet City Leader Faulkner. However, I will not object to you challenging me. The little guys could use a little bit of training. Be warned, however, that I will not go easy on you just because you are new to gym leaders."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Clair led May to the gym's battlefield. The battlefield was completely flat and was shiny from the buffering. There were seats on both sides of the battlefield and there was a small viewing area from the second floor balconies. Clair and May took opposite sides of the field as they lights dimmed down onto the battlefield. Some of the gym apprentices and monks began to assemble around the battlefield. The referee stood in the center, between the two. "Alright! The Pokémon battle between Trainer May of Petalburg City and Leader Clair of Blackthorn City will commence!" he shouted.

"Hey, wait a minute!" shouted a voice.

"Hey no pushing!" shouted another voice.

Everyone looked at Jahan, Harley, Cacturne, and Croconaw began running up the stairs to the viewing balconies. "Jahan, Harley, what are you two doing here?" May asked.

"I got bored," Harley said.

"I'm just here to watch you crash and burn," said Jahan. May got angry, but she focused back onto the battlefield. "As I was saying, the battle between May and Clair will commence in a few moments. Both sides will use three Pokémon each. In addition, only the challenge can substitute Pokémon. The gym leader cannot. Let the battle begin!"

"Alright!" Clair said. She took out a Poké Ball. "Go, Dratini!"

The Poké Ball opened up and out came a small but agile Dratini.

May began looking through her choices. "_Well Clair, wants me to help train the little Pokémon, so Blaziken might be too much. On the other hand, her Pokémon may be tough. I also can't use Cyndaquil. Chances are she'll disobey my every command_." She then made a decision.

"Munchlax, let's go!" said May. The Poké Ball opened up and Munchlax jumped into the battlefield.

"Round One: Clair's Dratini versus May's Munchlax…begin!" the referee announced.

"Munchlax, use Tackle!" May shouted.

Munchlax began running towards Dratini. "Dratini, dodge and use DragonBreath!" Clair shouted. Dratini rolled out of Munchlax's way and then shot out a green and yellow beam out of his mouth. Munchlax was send flying backwards. "Oh no!" May shouted.

Despite the rather powerful attack, Munchlax was soon back onto his stubby feet. "Now Dratini, use Ice Beam!" Clair shouted.

"Munchlax, get ready! Use Focus Punch!" said May.

Munchlax's fist then began glowing. It sharpens its eyesight on Dratini, concentrating on its weak spot. Unfortunately, Munchlax lost its focus when it had to avoid Dratini's Ice Bea attack.

"Alright Clair!" Jahan shouted. "Send that Coordinator back home!"

"Munchlax, use Solarbeam!" shouted May.

Munchlax then began taking in sunlight. "Dratini, use Thunder Wave," Clair said, rather solemnly. Dratini then slammed her tail down to the ground, creating an electric shockwave. Munchlax was still charging up Solarbeam, so it couldn't dodge the attack. The shockwave knocked it over AND it paralyzed Munchlax. "Oh no!" May said.

"You really need to stop using moves that take time to charge up," Clair said.

"You could have told her that before," protested Harley.

"She's the gym leader! She didn't have to!" Jahan said.

"I'm tired of listening to you!" Harley said. "Go May! Finish her so that this jerk can shut up!"

"_Wow…Harley's actually cheering for me_," May said. She then returned her focus to her paralyzed Munchlax. He was having a hard time moving. "Munchlax, hang in there!" May shouted.

"Dratini, use Twister!" Clair shouted.

Dratini bounced to the center of the battlefield, opened her mouth and created a powerful tornado. Everyone began covering their eyes as the twister kicked up debris and trash into the air. Munchlax began spinning around and around the gym, occasionally hitting the rocks and the walls. "Oh no!" May shouted.

Eventually, the wind died down and Munchlax hit the ground hard. "Munchlax!" May shouted.

"Paralyzed and beaten? Munchlax's down for," said Jahan.

Everyone was surprised when Munchlax got back on his feet, though it was obvious that he was reaching his physical limits. "This one is over," said Clair. "Now Dratini, finish him off with Ice Beam!"

Dratini then began inhaling, getting ready for her attack. "Munchlax, dodge and use Metronome!" May said.

Dratini shot out a freezing Ice Beam at Munchlax. Munchlax was able to roll out of the way. Meanwhile, its fingers began glowing brightly. What move would Metronome give Munchlax?

Then, from out of nowhere, Munchlax began glowing brightly. Suddenly, Munchlax exploded! The gym shook violently and began to fill with smoke and debris. Everyone covered their eyes as the glass roof opened up to let out the smoke.

When the smoke finally cleared, both Munchlax and Dratini were on the floor, unconscious. Neither of them can continue. The referee looked at the two Pokémon. "Neither Dratini or Munchlax can continue battling," said the referee. "Round on is a draw!"

May and Clair recalled both of their Pokémon into their Poké Balls. "Munchlax, you did your best. For that, I'm grateful," said May.

Clair then put away Dratini's Poké Ball and took out another one. "May that was…a bit impressive. However, my next Pokémon isn't as friendly as Dratini," said Clair. "Go, Bagon!"

The Poké Ball opened up and Bagon, the hardheaded Dragon-type Pokémon. As Clair said, he was revving to go. "Whoa, he does have a little fight in it," May said. "Let's see…" May began digging through her Pokémon. "…Blaziken and Cyndaquil are out of the question. Eevee…well, Eevee will not be able to handle Bagon. I wonder how Squirtle would do." She then took out Squirtle's Poké Ball. "Squirtle, go!" said May.

The Ball opened up and Squirtle jumped out into the battlefield. "A Squirtle?!?" asked Jahan. "Haha, that's rich. I love to this!"

"You are seriously getting annoying," the monks said, rather angrily.

"Round Two: May's Squirtle versus Clair's Bagon…begin!" the referee shouted.

"Squirtle, use Water Gun!" May shouted.

"Bagon, use Headbutt!" Clair shouted.

Squirtle shot out a powerful stream of water from its mouth. Instead of avoiding it, Bagon began charging right at the Water Gun. He just ran right through it and head butted Squirtle in its stomach. Squirtle flew backwards right at May's feet. "Oh no, Squirtle!" May said.

"Wow, that was pretty lame," said Jahan.

"Will you be quiet?!?" Harley shouted, angrily.

"Make me!" Jahan shouted.

Suddenly, one of the monks grabbed Jahan's shoulder and pinched it hard. "Hey, what are you…" Jahan then fell to the floor near Harley's feet. "Whoa," he said.

"I got his pressure point," said the monk.

"Thank you so much!" Harley said.

"He's such an annoying person," said the monk.

The referee checked on Squirtle. Squirtle was officially out cold. "Squirtle is unable to battle!" the referee said.

"What?!? Already?!?" May asked, angrily.

"Oh dear," said Harley.

"That girl is already down to her last Pokémon," said the monk. "I wonder who she would pick."

May considered her options. All she had left was Eevee, Cyndaquil, and Blaziken. Eevee was young and had only been in Contest battles. It would not last a minute against Bagon. Even though she was in a tight spot, she didn't want to use Blaziken. He would end the match in a jiffy, and that would be unfair to Clair. May didn't really want to use Cyndaquil, but she had no choice.

She took out Cyndaquil's Poké Ball. She held it up to her face and shut her eyes. "_Please…please, just obey…just this once,_" she pleaded. "Cyndaquil, go!" She threw the Poké Ball, it opened up, and Cyndaquil popped out.

"Alright Round Three: May's Cyndaquil versus Clair's Bagon, begin!" the referee shouted.

"Bagon, use Headbutt!"

"Alright Cyndaquil, use Ember now!" May said.

Cyndaquil opened its mouth, but instead of fire, it breathed a thick layer of black smoke. The smoke covered the entire battlefield, blinding Bagon. "Or…uhhh…use Smokescreen! Yeah, that's a much better attack," May said.

"Oh dear," Clair said. "That Pokémon doesn't seem to see you as its trainer."

"Don't be silly," said May. "Of course it sees me as a trainer. Um…Cyndaquil, now's your chance! Use Tackle!" Cyndaquil sat down and looked on at the smoke. "Um…okay, how about Quick Attack?" May asked. Cyndaquil did not budge. "Tackle? Ember? Something?"

"Tsk-tsk," Clair said.

"Okay fine, Cyndaquil. What attack do you think will work?" May asked.

"Oh my," Clair said. "If the Pokémon is controlling the trainer, you seriously need help."

"I do not!" May shouted.

Suddenly, Cyndaquil ran into the smoke. "Where are you going?" May asked. Cyndaquil didn't answer. It continued running until it met a blinded Bagon in the center. The smoke was too thick for anyone to see what was going on. The two Pokémon continued fighting as everyone listened. "Um…Cyndaquil?" May asked.

Once the smoke began to clear up, everyone could at least see that Bagon was standing while Cyndaquil lied on the ground, near unconscious. Clearly, Bagon was winning the fight. "Oh no, Cyndaquil!" shouted May.

"Bagon, finish it off! Use Ember!" Clair shouted.

Bagon roared a bit before shooting a huge stream of fire from its mouth towards Cyndaquil. Cyndaquil was still weak from its fight in the smoke, so it could not defend itself. Bagon scorched Cyndaquil with its Ember attack, which was even more powerful than the average Fire-type Pokémon. Cyndaquil fell to the ground, unconscious. "Cyndaquil is unable to battle! The winner of this battle is Gym Leader Clair!" the referee announced.

The monks cheered for Clair. Harley was disappointed in May. May sat down and curled up in her knees. She hated how the battle turned out. Bagon continued dancing and celebrating, but Clair couldn't help but feel May's disappointment.

As everyone began celebrating in a way, Jahan was getting on his knees and was regaining consciousness. "Whoa, that was weird," he muttered.

"Oh no," muttered Harley. He then looked to the battlefield and saw May curled up. "What happened? Did May lose already?" asked Jahan. Harley didn't answer. "Well, May just proved my point. Coordinators can never…"

"Go back to sleep already," Harley said.

Harley placed his hand on his shoulder and began pinching. Unfortunately, Jahan was still standing. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Why is it not working?" Harley asked, angrily.

"You are not getting pressure points. Allow me," the monk said. He then put Jahan back to sleep by using the same technique he was using.

While everyone was talking about the battle, a green-haired Coordinator was hiding in the shadows with Absol. He saw May curled up, possibly crying now. "May…" was all that he muttered.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N: **I don't think any has to guess who the green-haired Coordinator was, right? I smell a Contestshipping in the next chapter.

Anyway, I know a lot of you are going to say "why didn't May use Blaziken?" Because, she wanted to be fair to Clair. It wouldn't be fair for a third-stage Pokémon like Blaziken to take on a first-stage Pokémon Besides, the other Pokémon needed experience.

**NEXT TIME…**

May's gym battle against Clair didn't go as planned. Actually, it was far from what May hoped would happen. It doesn't help that Jahan continues to berate her and Harley…well…Harley never liked May. However, sitting around crying won't make the problem go ahead. May's getting back up and she's rethinking her strategies, with help from Drew and her father. That, and she's also getting ready for the Blackthorn City Contest.

Then, there is the problem of Cyndaquil, who still refuses to obey her. May actually finds a perfect way to help Cyndaquil trust her…

…

…by releasing her back in the wild.

How will this help Cyndaquil respect May? And what will May do about balancing contest training and gym training?


	8. Training Day: Briefing

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Tackle, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Cyndaquil (Ember, Smokescreen, Tackle, Quick Attack)

Squirtle (Ice Beam, Tackle, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

REVIEW REPLIES

**xXSeiren-HimeXx: **Like I said in the last chapter, if she used Blaziken, it would be too easy. And we don't want to win like that, now…do we?

**Prettydemoness:** Thank you for the kind comments. I knew that the sudden chapter gap would screw some people up, but if I deleted it, you could not review the last chapter.

**Scytherwolf:** Yeah, releasing Pokémon is always a bummer, especially one you raised yourself. Nevertheless, May's plan will involve more than just releasing Cyndaquil…

**Arysd:** Your comment really saved the story. I hope this chapter will give you everything you want.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_May has finally arrived in Blackthorn City, home to the first contest and the first gym battle. She first registered for the contest at the Blackthorn Contest Hall. She runs into Harley and Jahan, the latter of which wanting her to fail._

_Since the contest wasn't until another few days, she opted to go for the badge first. She heads to the gym, where Clair awaits her. It was Clair's Dragon-type Pokémon against her Cyndaquil, Munchlax, and Squirtle. Munchlax and Squirtle did very poorly against Dratini and Bagon. Cyndaquil wouldn't even try. The battle ended with Clair overall destroying May's team. While Jahan loved it, a certain person did not._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Blackthorn City**

After the loss, May rushed to the nearest Pokémon Center to heal their wounds. She was still feeling depressed about losing to Clair. Blaziken and Eevee stood by her, hoping to cheer her up, but nothing was working.

"How dare you lose May!" said a voice.

"_Oh no,_" thought May. She looked up and saw Harley and Cacturne looking down on her. "The pride of Coordinators was on the line and you have failed us all!"

"Harley, I don't feel like talking right now," said May.

"And who could blame you?" said another familiar voice.

May and Harley turned around and saw Jahan and Croconaw walked towards them. "Gee, this is the greatest day of my life," said May.

"May, after that battle, you have shown everybody that…"

"Oh shut it, Jahan!" Harley shouted. "Maybe a _real_ Coordinator should take you on and beat you!"

"Is that a challenge?" asked Jahan. "How much are you willing to bet?"

"You like gambling away your Pokémon?!?" asked Harley, angrily.

Suddenly, one hand grabbed Harley's hair and another grabbed Jahan's. The two hands then made Harley and Jahan butt heads painfully. "Knock it off you two!" he shouted. "May doesn't need to put up with you right now!"

"Ow," Jahan said, softly.

"That really hurts," said Harley, grabbing his head.

May poked her heard up. Drew and Absol were standing over Jahan and Harley, both of whom were suffering major headaches. "Drew?" May asked.

"Oh great, May's boyfriend arrives," said Jahan.

"What?!?" May and Drew asked, surprised.

"Boyfriend?!?" Drew asked. "Hey, I'm not May's boyfriend!"

"Whatever," said Jahan.

"Drew, what are you doing here?" May asked.

"I came by the gym and saw your gym battle," Drew said.

"Oh great…you saw that?" May asked, sadly.

"May, it is a shame that you let down everyone. I managed to defeat her easily."

"Be quiet, Jahan," said Drew. "She's never been in a gym battle before!"

"Really? Isn't her daddy a gym leader? Wow, you were taking good notes from him, weren't you?"

"Hey, don't bring her father into this!" Harley shouted.

"He must be so disappointed in knowing that his daughter is…"

"Jahan, stop lying to everyone," May said. "You don't know my father."

"I had to beat him to get his Balance Badge," said Jahan.

"I don't remember you ever coming into the gym," said May.

"You must have been gone. I did battle Norman and I defeated him!" Jahan said.

"Really?" asked May. "So, if I called him right now on the phone, he can say that you won his gym battle?"

"Yes he would," said Jahan.

May then got up and began walking over to the Pokémon Center phones. "What are you doing?" asked Jahan.

"What do you thinking I'm doing? I'm calling my dad," said May. She then began dialing his number. "Um…why…why would you…you do that?" asked Jahan.

"To see if you're making this up or not," said May.

The phone began ringing, trying to connect with Norman back in Petalburg City. Suddenly, Norman's face appeared on-screen. "_Yes? This is the Petalburg Gym,_" Norman said.

"Hi dad," May said.

"_Oh, hello May! Just checking in huh? Where are you now?_" Norman asked.

"I'm in Blackthorn City," said May.

"_Wow…you already at your first gym? That's great. How did you do?"_

May turned her face away from the phone, embarrassed. "_Hmmm…not so good, huh?"_ Norman asked.

"Not surprising," Jahan said, suddenly.

"_May, who is this boy?_" Norman asked, getting defensive.

"This…is Jahan Natsu," said May.

"_Oh, okay! This is the guy you hate,_" Norman said. He then leaned in a bit closer to get a better look at Jahan. "_Oh, I remember you! You went to my gym to get the Balance Badge._"

"You mean…he actually defeated your Pokémon?" May asked.

"_Oh I didn't say that. He went to my gym once, lost, and then never returned,_" Norman said.

"Hmmm…that's funny. He here is going on that he was Pokémon League Champion for a year, but he can't if he never won your Balance Badge," May said.

May quickly turned around and noticed that Jahan had slipped away. "_Sure scared him away,_" Norman said. "_Now then…about your gym battle…"_

"It was horrible," May said. "I got some luck during the first round, but everything went downhill from there. And Cyndaquil still refuses to obey me."

"_I know you feel miserable now,_" Norman said._ "Nevertheless, crying about it is not going to make it go away. Try looking back at your battle and see what you have done wrong. Maybe try using more moves that can exploit your opponent's Pokémon weaknesses. You might also want to look at your Pokédex and see if your Pokémon could improve in ways you would imagine._"

"Okay, but how do you deal with a Pokémon who won't obey you?" May asked.

"_Well, I'm sorry to say that I can't really help you on that. My Pokémon has always been friends with me. However, if you want some advice, try using some more discipline on whatever Pokémon is giving you trouble_."

"Okay…I'll do it," May said.

"_Go out there and make us proud, May!_" Norman said. He then hung up the phone.

May thought over her dad's comments. "Hmmm…check the Pokédex." She took out her Pokédex and began searching up her whole team. Nurse Joy walked up behind her with a tray of Poké Balls. "May, your Pokémon are all healed," she said.

"Thank you," May said, taking her Pokémon back.

"Drew, aren't you angry that May has disappointed many Coordinators around the world?" asked Harley.

"Around the…what?" Drew asked. "Harley, only you, me, and Jahan saw that battle. How can any other Coordinator be disappointed if they didn't see the battle?"

"Well…um…it still hurts me and you," said Harley.

"Harley…just shut up," said Drew.

Suddenly, May walked up behind Drew. "Hi," said May.

"Hey May," said Drew. May turned to Harley. "Harley, I need to talk to Drew alone," she said.

"Fine then," Harley said. "Let's go, Cacturne. Apparently, we are not wanted." He got up and he and Cacturne left the Pokémon Center. "What is it, May?" Drew asked.

"Well…I kind of need help with gym battles," May said.

"Yeah, you really do," said Drew.

"Hey! Don't make this harder for me!" May shouted. "I'm only asking you because you're Pokémon seem to be strong."

"Well, you finally got something right," Drew said. "Let's see your Pokémon."

May then released Blaziken, Munchlax, Squirtle, Eevee, and Cyndaquil from their Poké Balls and into the open. Drew overlooked them carefully. "Hmmm…why didn't you use Blaziken?" Drew asked. "You could have taken all of her Pokémon out."

"That would be too easy," said May. "I wanted to challenge myself a little bit. So, I resolved to not use Blaziken unless I was facing a fully-evolved Pokémon."

"If that was the case, you _**really**_ need to train your Pokémon," Drew said. "Make them evolve to their next evolutions, so that way they can at least be on par with Clair's Pokémon."

"Evolve them?"

"Yeah, that's the best way to get the upper hand on a gym leader," Drew said. "As for Cyndaquil, you are going to need to give it special treatment."

"Special treatment?"

"You know, she needs more discipline. You need to be more assertive with her and teach her that you're the trainer, so you make the moves," said Drew.

"_Like that's going to happen,_" Cyndaquil said.

"You might want to teach it some manners too," he whispered to May.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After some pep talks, May and her Pokémon stepped outside of the Pokémon Center and into the barren field. "Okay guys," May said. "Now I know that our first gym battle was…a little…mediocre. We, myself included, made some mistakes, but the good thing about mistakes is that we can learn from them."

"_She made the most mistakes,"_ Cyndaquil said.

"_Shush!_" Munchlax said.

"Now, first things first," said May. She turned to Cyndaquil and gave her a nasty look. "Cyndaquil, your battle performance was horrible. I think out of the three I used, you were the worst!"

"_I was the worse?!? Squirtle only lasted for one minute!_" Cyndaquil said.

"But at least Squirtle listened to me and obeyed my command," said May.

"_Yeah…and he still lost. What does that say about you?!?_" Cyndaquil said.

"Okay little lady, I had about enough of your back talking. I am your Pokémon Trainer and I demand your respect!" May said.

"_Ummm…no…"_ Cyndaquil said.

"Okay Cyndaquil, that's it! I spend my time and money training you and feeding you. I took you in when the others didn't want you. I healed you when you were hurt. And all you ever did was embarrass me and undermine me."

May raised her finger in the air and pointed towards the heavily dense forest. "You want to be a wild Pokémon?!? Fine! This is your chance. If you are serious about hating me, then go ahead and go!" May said, sternly.

The other Pokémon were surprised at what May was doing. "_She's not serious, is she?_" Blaziken asked.

Cyndaquil was in disbelief. "_Are you serious? There aren't any strings attached, are there?_" Cyndaquil asked.

"Nope," May said. "If you really think being a trainer's Pokémon is worse than being a wild Pokémon, then go ahead and leave."

Cyndaquil looked around at the other Pokémon and then to May. She then wasted no time booking it into the forest. "_Thank god I'm free!_" she said, happily.

The others thought that May would be disappointed, but she…she seemed to keep a straight face. "She'll learn, don't worry," May said to the other Pokémon.

"_What if she doesn't?_" asked Blaziken.

"Oh trust me, she will," said May. "Now, as for the rest of you…I'm sure you know the number one tip of _The Art of War_, 'know thy enemy' and I learned this…Dragon-type Pokémon are weak against Ice-type moves. The only one with an Ice-type move is Squirtle and his Ice Beam attack. Squirtle, we're going to toughen you up."

May took out her PokéDex and brought up an entry for Wartortle. "Squirtle, you may think that the training will be hard, but by the time we are done, you'll evolve into this!" She showed the picture of Wartortle to Squirtle. "As a matter of fact, you will all be fully evolved by the time we're done," said May.

"_I don't know. I like being small,_" Munchlax said.

"Alright fine, but you're be able to take down any Pokémon we see by the time we're done," said May.

"_That sounds pretty cool,_" Squirtle said. "_I'm in!_"

"_Me too!_" said Munchlax.

"Alright then, let's get working!" May said.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MEANWHILE…**

Meanwhile, Cyndaquil was far into the forest, running freely. She was happy that she was 'free' from May's grasp. "_This is the life. There's no one telling me what to do, no one pushing me around, and no one yelling at me._"

Suddenly, the ground beneath Cyndaquil broke apart. She almost fell down a small hole, but she was quick enough to back away. "_What in the world_?" asked Cyndaquil. "_Who dug this hole here?!?_" A Diglett popped up from the ground. "_Hello,_" the small Diglett said.

"_Watch where you're digging those holes!"_ Cyndaquil shouted.

"_You're not the boss of me!_" Diglett said.

"_Oh yeah,_" Cyndaquil said. She then shot out a stream of fire from its mouth, burning it. The Diglett began crying. "_You're mean! I'm telling my daddy!_" it said, before burrowing back into the hole.

"_Go tell your dad. See if I care,_" Cyndaquil said.

Suddenly, the ground began shaking underneath Cyndaquil. An Onix popped from underneath the ground. Its bulky head send Cyndaquil flying high into the air. "_Good lord, an Onix?!?"_ Cyndaquil said, as she began falling to the ground.

"_Are you picking on my kid, you little squirt?!?_" Onix said, rather angrily. Cyndaquil was too intimidated to answer. "_Well then, eat Iron Tail you punk!_" Onix's tail glowed brightly as it crashed its steel tail into the ground, sending debris and dirt into the air. Cyndaquil ran as fast as it can back into the forest, away from Onix.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N: **Yeah… this was just a short chapter now. May has decided to take up on her dad's advice and train like there is no tomorrow. And, true to the last chapter's words, she has released Cyndaquil back into the wild. So far, it is not going so well for her.

**NEXT TIME…**

Cyndaquil is starting to realize that life as a wild Pokémon isn't as grand as she hoped it would be. Pokémon keeps stealing food from her, Pokémon attack her, and she has no one watching over her. However, she still won't admit that she needs May.

As for the other Pokémon, May is trying her best to whip her Pokémon into shape. However, she doesn't realize that Clair is also doing the same thing with her Pokémon. As her desire to beat the gym leader takes over, she soon starts to forget about the Pokémon Contest that she also has to prepare for.


	9. Training Day One: Getting to Work!

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

Whoa! I got many reviews for the last chapter! Thank you guys so much! It really cheered up after I found out Hinata Hyuga was killed in the latest _Naruto_ chapter.

But enough about _Naruto_, let's get to Pokémon.

REVIEW REPLIES

**Arysd: **I know how you feel. Not to criticize anyone's work, but they often forget that they need to give Pokémon some personality traits (after all, the show is named after them).

**xXSetsuna-HimeXx: **Thank you for the comment. The rematch is going to be a good one, trust me!

**Under the Elements:** Yeah, nothing is going right for May, and I can't really say that it's going to get better from here, but there will be a few uphill turns for her.

**Chocolate Berry: **Um…Jahan hates Pokémon Coordinators and treats them like dirt. That should automatically denounce him as a Gary Sue.

**Lexi Aduial Elen: **I think May trying to do both is a unique idea. Wouldn't you believe it if May soon forgot about contests but she is too focused on trying to overdo Jahan.

**Sakura Uchiha Hyuuga no Sabaku: **Thanks! This is my first time doing Contestshipping. It is somewhat hard, since I never watched any Pokémon episodes that had May and Drew moments.

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Tackle, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Cyndaquil (Ember, Smokescreen, Tackle, Quick Attack)

(**A/N: As of now, Cyndaquil is currently not on May's team.)**

Squirtle (Ice Beam, Tackle, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_After a horrible loss against Clair, May began to feel depressed. It didn't help that Jahan and Harley continued to berate her. Thankfully, Drew decides to put a stop to it. Soon afterwards, Jahan begins questioning if May is really Norman's daughter. He continues to boast that he defeated Norman with ease. May decides to call her father, and wouldn't you know it, he doesn't remember Jahan winning the Balance Badge from him. Jahan then suddenly disappeared. Since May was on the phone with her old man, she decides to get some battle tips from him. Afterwards, she decides to take his advice from hard._

_She took her Pokémon out into the field and began briefing with them. Cyndaquil continued to give her an attitude, which prompted May to give Cyndaquil a choice. She could stay on her team and obey her or go into the wild. Cyndaquil wasted no time ditching the team, but for some reason, May thinks she'll be back._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Blackthorn City**

Cyndaquil, after being attacked by an Onix, ran through the forest, not looking back, focused on getting as far away from him as possible. "_Geez, I forgot how big some of the Pokémon are…and a Rock Pokémon no less!_" she thought to herself.

Soon afterwards, her little legs were getting sore from running so fast. Cyndaquil, tired and exhausted, fell on its belly and began taking deep breaths. "_Oh man…that was close," _she panted. "_I also forgot how hard it was to find food…by myself anyway._" Back then, she had to find her own food, but thankfully, she had Chikorita and Totodile helping her. Now they ran off with their 'trainers'. "_I don't see why those two think having trainers is such a good idea. They get ordered around and are treated like objects. And what do they get in return? They get restricted in what they can do, they have to protect their trainer, and…they get food, and shelter, and happi…ness? NO! Being a wild Pokémon is so much better!_"

Her stomach then began growling. "_Man, I'm hungry,_" she muttered. "_I wonder what there is to eat around here._"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MEANWHILE…**

"Alright Squirtle! Today is your day for training!" May said as Squirtle stood in front of her. "Today, we're going to perfect your Ice Beam attack. As I said before, Dragon-type Pokémon are weak against Ice-type attacks! We are going to make it so that your Ice Beam attack can freeze them in an instant!"

"_How are we going to do that?_" Squirtle asked.

"Well, Clair's Pokémon are all really tough. But…I looked around in the wild and I actually found a wild Garchomp for us to practice on," May said.

The other Pokémon were surprised. "_Really? She found a wild Garchomp?_" Eevee asked.

"_How can May find a wild Garchomp in the wild?!?_" Munchlax asked.

"Yep, I actually found a Garchomp here in the wild…and what a strong one it is! He's in the bushes right now! Here it is…Garchomp!" May shouted, excitedly. She stepped aside to let the Garchomp come out. The Pokémon were all anxious and excited to meet Garchomp. But for some reason…Garchomp didn't come out. "Umm…hehe…" May giggled, nervously.

"_Boo! I want to see a Garchomp!_" jeered Munchlax.

"Um…yeah, Garchomp is a bit shy…"

May then got behind the bushes and began arguing with someone. "Get out there, come on! I know it looks stupid, but it will help with the training! Don't give me that attitude! Just get out there and do it!"

Munchlax, Eevee, and Squirtle were all a bit puzzled about the fighting and the arguing. Then, May kicked the 'Garchomp' out into the open. Munchlax, Squirtle, and Eevee began laughing hysterically. It wasn't a real Garchomp, but it was actually Blaziken dressed as a Garchomp. Its fur was dyed purple, except for its stomach, which was painted red. A tail was duck-taped to its existing tail, a shark fin strapped on its back, and wings were strung onto the arms. Overall, it looked cheesy. "_Please kill me,_" sighed Blaziken.

"Come on, it looks cute," whispered May.

"_But…these wings are heavy…and the tail is dragging me down,_" complained Blaziken.

"Look, it helps that they know what they enemy looks like when they're fighting," continued May. "Now, I'm going to be working on Eevee and Munchlax. You stay here and fight Squirtle. Make sure it uses Ice Beam to its full power."

"_Won't that kill me?_"

"A high-level Pokémon like you? Probably not."

"_Okay, I'll train the little one here. Good luck with Munchlax and Eevee._"

"Thanks!"

May left Blaziken to train with Squirtle. She turned to Munchlax and Eevee. "You two…you're coming with me," May said, in a confident tone. Munchlax and Eevee began following May. Blaziken and Squirtle stayed where they were, staring at each other. "_Okay…I guess we can get started now…_" Blaziken said. "_Ummm…_" Blaziken then spread its arms out, raising its wings into the air. "_Grrr…I am a Garchomp! Prepare to meet your maker!"_ Blaziken said.

"_Take this, maker! Water Gun!" _Squirtle shouted.

Squirtle then shot out a powerful stream of water from its mouth towards Blaziken. It was powerful enough to send Blaziken off its feet. Blaziken shrugged it off and got back on its feet. "_Alright, you got a little bit of fight in ya,_" it commented.

"_That's not all!_" Squirtle said. It then shot out an Ice Beam towards Blaziken. Blaziken retaliated by unleashing a powerful Flamethrower, instantly melting the Ice Beam. "_Huh?!?"_ Squirtle asked.

"_You got a long way to go before you could ever freeze me,_" boasted Blaziken. He then continued unleashing Flamethrowers.

Meanwhile, on the other side, May was training Eevee and Munchlax. "Okay guys, now unlike Squirtle…you don't have any attacks that can exploit the Dragon-type weaknesses. But that doesn't mean you can't take them on with brute force!" May said proudly. "We are going to train your bodies to become faster, stronger, and better than how they are."

"_How are we going to do that?_" asked Munchlax.

"Simple," answered May. "First…"

May reached into her backpack and pulled out a Poké Block Case. Munchlax was happy already. "Munchlax, we are going to work on making your head as tough as steel, like how Clair does with Bagon and Gible. Here is your exercise for today! See that boulder?"

She pointed to a set of boulders embedded in the ground. "What you are going to do is hit the boulder as hard as you can," she explained. Munchlax were confused. "_You want me to break the boulder?_" asked Munchlax.

"Not break them, just attack it enough that cracks began to show up. You can use either Focus Punch or Tackle."

"_Cracks on my bones or on the boulder?_" Munchlax asked.

"Here's the deal: for every crack that appears on the boulder, you get a Poké Block," May said.

"_Now that's motivation!_" Munchlax said.

He turned to the boulder and punched the boulder. It was a decent punch, but it wasn't good enough to leave a mark. Munchlax was disappointed. "Oh come on, Munchlax! You can do better than that!"

"_I can! Watch me!_" Munchlax tired punching it over…and over…and over…but still no cracks. "It's called Focus Punch for a reason. You have to focus!" May said. Despite May helping Munchlax, he continued to punch the boulder with focusing.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Cyndaquil continued to wander the forest, looking for food. She had been searching for almost an hour, but she couldn't find anything. Her stomach continued growling. "_I better find something quick,_" Cyndaquil thought.

Suddenly, a big purple Pokémon flew right in front of Cyndaquil, startling her. "_What was that?!?_" she asked herself. The big purple Pokémon hit a tree, but got up on its feet. It had long wings and a huge tail. "_Oh no…a Garchomp!" _Cyndaquil shouted. Cyndaquil didn't know that it was just Blaziken in a costume. The 'Garchomp' looked down and saw Cyndaquil. "_Oh hi, Cyndaquil!_" 'Garchomp' said in a deep, husky voice. Cyndaquil just ran off, screaming for its life. "_Huh? What's with her?"_ Blaziken asked.

Blaziken's thoughts were interrupted when he rolled out of the way to avoid an incoming Water Gun! "_You won't get me that easily!"_" boasted Blaziken. Blaziken opened its mouth and shot out a huge stream of fire from its mouth. Squirtle jumped back to avoid the flames. Squirtle opened its mouth and shot out a thin Ice Beam attack towards Blaziken's foot, freezing his foot. "_That's nothing,_" Blaziken said. "_Blaze Kick!_"

Blaziken swung his foot at Squirtle's head. The impact was hard enough to break the ice, but since Blaziken's foot was incased with fire, it did extra damage! "_Rrrooaarrr…I am Blaziken! None shall defeat me!_" he roared. He looked down at Squirtle. He laid facedown on the ground. For some reason, he wasn't moving. "_Hey Squirtle…are you okay?_" Blaziken asked. There was no reply. Blaziken walked up and lifted his head up. He was out cold. "_Uh oh_."

Cyndaquil continued to run until she reached a large berry tree. She was short of breath and needed to rest. Her stomach growled again. "_This forest is just crawling with big and scary Pokémon, isn't it?_ _I hate this! I'm hungry and I've been attacked by huge Pokémon!_" she complained. "_But…at least nothing else can happen now_."

Of course, as it usually does, something worse was coming. The clear, blue sky was soon giving way to dark gray skies. May and her team noticed this. "That's funny, it was supposed to be sunny all day," May said. The faint sound of thunder sounded over the hills. "_That's not good,_" Blaziken said.

"Alright everybody! We have to hurry to the Pokémon Center, quickly!" she shouted. She and her Pokémon hurried along to the Pokémon Center.

Cyndaquil was a bit worried. "_Somebody up there must really hate me,_" she muttered to herself. She felt a raindrop hit the tip of her nose. Then, one by one, raindrops began to fall from the sky. The small trickle of rain then began a heavy downpour, drenching Cyndaquil. "_This is just wonderful,_" she said, sarcastically.

May and her team were able to make it into the Pokémon Center, but not before getting significantly wet from the rain. Nurse Joy was there to greet them. "Crazy weather, huh?" she asked.

"Yeah…it was sunny a few minutes ago," May said, wringing her hair.

"Well, you're welcome to stay here until the weather clears up."

"Thank you," said May.

"May?" asked a voice. May turned around and saw Drew walking up to her. "Oh…hi Drew! Have you been here all day?" she asked.

"I was just training for the Pokémon Contest outside before the rain came in," said Drew. He then noticed a 'Garchomp' behind her. "Um…you have a Garchomp now?" he asked.

"What? Oh no! That's just Blaziken in a costume that I made myself," she said, happily.

"_And boy, is this thing uncomfortable,_" complained Blaziken. "_I mean, the tail is heavy. The wings always weight me down._"

"I saw you training your Pokémon outside," Drew said. "You have some…_unique_ methods."

"Thank you," May said.

May turned to her Blaziken. "Blaziken, you can go ahead and take all that stuff off. We won't need it until tomorrow."

"_Thank…goodness,_" Blaziken sighed, happily. He wasted no time unlatching the tail and ripping off the wings. "_Do I still have to be purple?_" he asked.

"Yeah…I mean, we're need you to be a Garchomp for tomorrow…and for however how long it takes for Squirtle to evolve," May said.

"_Ah…come on!_" Blaziken groaned, angrily.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

In the wild, Cyndaquil was tying together several branches and bushes to make some sort of shelter from the rain. She really didn't know about building shelters, but when she was in the laboratory as an experiment for Professor Elm, she would always watch a TV show about a guy who survived in the wild with his bare hands. She figured that if a human could create a shelter with tree branches and plants, then a Pokémon could do it easily.

Once Cyndaquil tied her shelter with a vine, she ran inside. Although it was small, it protected her from the rain. "_Ahh…home sweet home!_" she said to herself. She spread out her body, but her legs hit the back of the shelter. Her stick house collapsed onto her. She screamed as everything came down on her back. "_Help me!_" squealed Cyndaquil. Her shelter was destroyed. "_Oh…great…_" she muttered. She got up and rebuilds her shelter the best she could. It was barely good enough to protect herself from the rain, but she was still very cold and wet.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

At the Pokémon Center, Drew was watching over as he and May's Pokémon were eating their dinner. May was changing her clothes, since her old clothes got wet from the rain. Munchlax had an ice pack on his hand. After punching the boulder all day, his fingers were sore.

Suddenly, the front door opened up. A soaked Harley and Jahan walked in. "Where were you guys?" asked Drew.

"I wanted to show him how me and my Pokémon are stronger than Harley's," said Jahan.

"You guys never get tired of fighting do you?" asked Drew.

"He started it," Harley said.

Drew just sighed. "You guys are acting like a bunch of babies," he sighed.

"Well, that's what Coordinators are…a bunch of babies," Jahan said.

"Jahan…just be quiet. It seems like you're running out of things to say," Drew said.

"Man whatever," said Jahan. Both Harley and Jahan tried to wring out the water from their clothes. "I'm going to go and change my clothes," said Jahan. He then began searching through his bag for fresh clothes. "I'm going to get something to eat," Harley said. Harley began walking towards the Pokémon Center's restaurant.

On the way, Harley passed by the changing rooms. He stopped for a moment. He remembered that Jahan was about to go in a change his clothes. There were two doors, one for women and one for men. A sinister smile appeared on his face. He had a cunning plan. He took the "women' and "men" signs and switched them around. He then continued on his way to the restaurant, watching the changing rooms.

As he was ordering his food, he noticed Jahan walking into the changing rooms. The door he went through said "men" so he figured he should go in there. Of course, since Harley switched the signs, but he didn't know that.

Suddenly, a loud shriek could be heard. "_Jahan, what are you doing here?!?"_

"_This is the men's room, isn't it?!?"_

"_Get out!_"

The door swung open and May (wearing nothing but her underwear) literally kicked Jahan out. "And stay out…you pervert!" she shouted, angrily. She slammed the door shut. "What was that about?" Jahan asked. He could hear somebody laughing hysterically in the distance. Nurse Joy then passed by. "What was all the noise about?" she asked. She then looked at the changing rooms and noticed that someone mixed up the signs. "Darn kids…" she muttered as she put them in the right place.

Soon, all of the trainers met up in the lobby. Their Pokémon were now just playing each other. May was now wearing her pajamas. She was still upset at Jahan for coming in and peeking (accidentally). But she got over that once she took a look outside. The rain pattered the window hard, almost to the point of leaving small cracks. She heard footsteps walking behind her. "Hey May," Jahan said.

"What do you want, perv?" May asked.

"I told you it was an accident!" scolded Jahan. "Anyway, where's Cyndaquil? Did she run away from you?"

"Well…kind of…" May said. "I…decided to give her up into the wild."

"You did what?!?" Jahan asked. "Pff…then again, not surprising. I guess Cyndaquil was too much for you to handle."

"I figured that if she was really being tortured hanging out with me, then I guess I'll let her go back to where she came from. Except…it is raining pretty hard and…well…"

"_Hey May_," said Croconaw. Jahan and May turned to Croconaw. He was standing right beside Jahan. Croconaw inched a bit closer to May. May went down on her knees to get on Jahan's Croconaw's level. Then…without warning, Croconaw slashed her across the face! Jahan and May were in shock. "What in the world?" Jahan asked. "I didn't teach him that."

"What did you do that for?!?" May asked, angrily. Her cheek had five scratches across and they were beginning to bleed heavily.

Croconaw said nothing. He just turned around and began heading towards Jahan's room. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" May said, angrily.

"Croconaw, come back here and do that again!" Jahan said, chasing after Croconaw.

"_That girl, what has she done?!?_" Croconaw thought to himself. "_That's the reason why Cyndaquil hates Pokémon Trainers! Because her old trainer did that to her! What is May thinking?!?"_

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MEANWHILE…**

At the Blackthorn City Gym, Clair was again training her Pokémon in the gym. Bagon and Gible were continuing the same boulder exercises that they were doing when May first arrived at the gym. Unlike last time, when they barely left scratches on the rocks, this time they were tearing away shards. Clair was very impressed with the progress. "Oh man…May's going to have to do some serious training if she is ever to best my Pokémon," Clair boasted.

Bagon and Gible then used their last bit of energy and stamina to execute another Take Down attack. The move was so powerful, that Bagon and Gible both destroyed their boulders. After that, Gible and Bagon stuck their tiny arms high in the air and roared as loud as they could. Clair and the monks accompanying her were a bit frightened by their act of victory. They were even more surprised when Bagon and Gible began glowing brightly. Everyone was amazed when they began taking new forms. Bagon grew an armored shield around its whole body while Gible's legs grew bigger. "Ma'am…I believe…they are evolving," said a monk. And they were!

"Sorry May, but now you don't stand a chance against Gabite…and Shelgon!" Clair said, proudly.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N: **Wow…May wasn't kidding when she said she was going to train as hard as she can. But now with Clair's Pokémon at their second evolution, she now has to work herself to death if she even wants a chance to compete with Clair.

Oh, and I didn't mention in this chapter, but Drew's Chikorita evolved, so now it's a Bayleef, just like how Totodile is now a Croconaw.

Seriously, thank you guys so much for leaving me reviews! Keep it up!

**NEXT TIME…**

Once again, Cyndaquil is starting to suffer in the wilderness. The next morning, she finds her old 'friends' training in the field. She's very surprised to find out that they have both evolved while she's still in her first evolution. Out of anger, she challenges both of them to a battle. Will she be able to take out her old friends?

And will May's Pokémon training be enough to take out Clair's newly evolved Pokémon? Who was Cyndaquil's old Pokémon trainer?

All of this in the next exciting chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	10. Training Day Two: Coming to her Senses

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

REVIEW REPLIES

**Sakura Uchiha Hyuuga no Sabaku:** There is a lot that May does not know about Cyndaquil. I knew some people would love Harley's little prank against Jahan. I think the Harley/Jahan rivalry is starting to make Harley look like a good guy. Nevertheless, Harley's a jerk too.

**Arysd: **Again, I felt as if since the show is about them, Pokémon need unique personalities just as much as the trainers do. I'm glad that that's what sets my story apart from others.

**xXSetsuna-HimeXx: **He you go! I hope you enjoy it!

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Tackle, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Cyndaquil (Ember, Smokescreen, Tackle, Quick Attack)

(**A/N: As of now, Cyndaquil is currently not on May's team.)**

Squirtle (Ice Beam, Tackle, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_Cyndaquil's life as a wild Pokémon isn't really as grand as she hoped it would be. Hunger begins to set in as she begins to search for food, which is pretty hard, since her friends (Totodile and Chikorita) aren't with her anymore. She starts to regret leaving May, but she rejects the emotions. Once it begins to rain, Cyndaquil begins to feel depressed. She tries to build a shelter from the rain, but it just falls on top of her. Cyndaquil does her best to protect herself._

_Meanwhile, May and her Pokémon are training like never before. Munchlax is learning how to better his focus when using Focus Punch and Squirtle is fighting against Garchomp…or at least…Blaziken dressed up like a Garchomp. Once the rain arrives, they hurry to the Pokémon Center. There, Jahan and Harley come back and begin arguing…once again…for the millionth (?) time. After May tells Jahan about Cyndaquil, Croconaw suddenly appears and slashes her face. Apparently, May made a mistake that Cyndaquil's old trainer made._

_And just when it seems as if May was going to win her next gym battle, things go from bad to worse when Clair's Bagon and Gible evolve to a Shelgon and Gabite (respectively)._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Blackthorn City Pokémon Center**

It was the middle of the night in Blackthorn City. The heavy rain continued to soak the buildings and pathways of Blackthorn City. The cold blast of wind made the rain pitter and patter against the windows.

At the Pokémon Center, everybody was sound asleep in their rooms. Their Pokémon sat on the side, sleeping as peacefully as their trainers. Jahan's Croconaw, on the other hand, wasn't able to sleep at all. He began to worry about his friend Cyndaquil, who used to belong to May, but she's now living as a wild Pokémon in the forest.

Croconaw got up on his feet. He looked around and saw that Jahan was sleeping in his bed. The other members of his team were in their Poké Balls, on the nightstand besides Jahan's bed. Croconaw quietly tiptoed across the room. He quietly opened the door and walked out without waking up his trainer.

Croconaw squinted his eyes as he walked out from the dark bedroom to the brightly lit hallways of the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy was too busy working downstairs to notice him going to the window. Croconaw jumped on the windowsill and looked outside. The rain and wind buffered against the Pokémon Center. A clash of thunder brightened the dark sky, illuminating the trees outside for a moment. Croconaw looked outside with a worrisome look.

"_You're worried about her too?_" asked a voice.

Croconaw turned around and noticed Bayleef walking towards him. "_Bayleef? What are you doing out here? How did you get out from your room?_" Croconaw asked.

"_The same way you did…I walked out the door_," answered Bayleef. "_I worry about Cyndaquil too. She says she can live out in the wild, but back in the days she only survived because of us._"

"_And now since her trainer's given her up…_"

"_May didn't give up Cyndaquil! Cyndaquil was given the choice whether or not to leave May's team or not._"

"_Was she?_"

"_I heard all about it when she was talking to Drew_."

"_Oh!_" Croconaw then looked at its feet. "_Well she didn't mention that. I guess I own her an apology._"

Croconaw and Bayleef both looked out to the forest outside. "_I hope Cyndaquil is okay_," murmured Bayleef.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Cyndaquil was sleeping outside in the forest in her custom-built shelter. It unfortunately collapsed on top of her, giving her little protection from the rain. Cyndaquil kept her limbs inside, but it was no good. She was cold, hungry, and wet. "_This sucks…_" she groaned.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The next morning, the rain and wind had stopped and Blackthorn City was now sunny. The wind did some minor damage and some drops of water dripped from the soaked tree leaves. Some of the drops of water dripped down onto Cyndaquil's nose, waking her up. Cyndaquil got up, but she felt extremely miserable. She was still hungry, she had a major headache, and she was still cold. She got up and stumbled towards the red-roofed Pokémon Center.

She got close to the Pokémon Center and looked through the glass windows. She saw the Pokémon eating their breakfast. She really…_really _wanted to join them. She wanted to eat something…_anything._ "_Wow…would you look at them. So well fed and…happy…"_ she thought. She scanned the room and saw that Blaziken's fur was purple. "_Huh…I guess Blaziken became a shiny Pokémon_," Cyndaquil thought.

She hid behind a bush when she saw May walking in. May was fully dressed in her trainer's clothes, ready for another day of training. "_I can't let her see me like this_," she thought. She then began running away.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Alright guys, finish up breakfast! We got another huge day ahead of us!" May shouted happily.

"_You think I'll evolve today?_" asked Squirtle.

"I know you will!" May replied, happily. "Which means Blaziken…"

"_I know…put on the very uncomfortable Garchomp suit,_" Blaziken said.

"It's just for today and then you're done," May said. May turned to Munchlax. "How's you hand today?" she asked.

Munchlax moved his stubby fingers. "_They're ready for today's training,_" he said.

"Good! And remember, if you leave any cracks today, you'll get Poké Blocks!" she reminded him.

"_Like I said before, great motivation!_" Munchlax replied.

May sat down on the couch, watching her Pokémon as they were finishing their breakfast. "_I know we'll make some progress today. Hopefully, our next battle against Clair will be better than last time._"

Suddenly, a plate of food was shoved into her face. "Huh? What's this?" she asked herself. She looked to her side and found Jahan's Croconaw sitting on the armrest, handing her a breakfast plate. "What…is that for me?" she asked.

Croconaw looked down at his feet, as if he felt sorry about something. "Are you apologizing for what happened last night?" May asked. Croconaw nodded his head. May petted him on the head. "Ah, don't worry about that. I already got over it," she smiled, happily. "Thanks!" She took the plate from his hand and began eating. "Croconaw, what are you doing?!?" shouted a voice.

May and Croconaw looked up and saw Jahan standing next to them. "Why are you giving food to the enemy?" she asked.

"Because he's a good little Pokémon," May replied.

"I wasn't asking for your opinion! Come on, Croconaw! We got some training to do."

Croconaw jumped off the armrest and began walking outside with Jahan. May was furious! "I hate you, Jahan! You make me so mad!" she shouted. "But…one the plus side, at least your Pokémon are well behaved…sort of."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Cyndaquil continued walking around the forest, still in horrible condition. "_Oh man, I haven't felt this depressed since…since I was with my last trainer,_" Cyndaquil thought. She lay on her stomach as she remembered her first Pokémon Trainer.

_0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0_

_Cyndaquil and her trainer were walking through a forest filled with Bug Pokémon. Her trainer was a young man with long red hair. He was always so serious and uptight. Cyndaquil met him a long time ago when she was caught as a wild Pokémon. At first, she was happy to have someone care and watch over her. However, for some reason, Cyndaquil was less than amazed with the way he treated her._

_The two continued walking until a bunch of poison needles came right for them. They jumped out of the way just in time. "It's an attack!" shouted her trainer. Suddenly, a group of Beedrill flew in front of them. Cyndaquil jumped in front of her trainer and blew a stream of fire towards the group of Beedrill. The Beedrill flew farther apart, making the Ember attack miss. "_Oh no_," Cyndaquil said._

_The Beedrill stuck their stingers out in front of them. They shot out several needles from their stingers. "Watch out! It's Pin Missile!" the trainer shouted. The needles were able to hit Cyndaquil in her face. Cyndaquil bit her tongue as the needles pierced her face. Cyndaquil shook off the pain and blew off another Ember attack. One of the Beedrill was hit and he fell to the ground. The other two flew away in fear._

_The trainer took out a Poké Ball and threw it at the weakened Beedrill. The ball opened up and a red light took the Beedrill in. The Ball fell to the ground and began shaking around. The red light then went off, signaling a successful capture. "Hmmm…I guess the Beedrill is worth my time," the trainer remarked. He looked down at Cyndaquil, who was lying on the ground in agony. The pain she was feeling was excoriating. "Great, you got yourself poisoned. Way to go," the trainer said, harshly. He looked through his bag. "Great, I have nothing for it, so you're just going to have to ride it out until we reach the next Pokémon Center. Now let's get going, you."_

_Cyndaquil tried her best to fight the pain and continued walking. "_Gee, I just saved your life and scored you a strong Bug-type Pokémon. A 'thank-you' would have been good,_" she said, sarcastically._

"_Are you giving me lip?" the trainer asked. "How many times have I told you? You must respect me as a trainer!"_

"What about my respect as a Pokémon?" _Cyndaquil asked._

"_Weak Pokémon like you, don't deserve my respect. Once you become a powerful Typhlosion, then you have earned my respect, but until then…"_

_The trainer was interrupted when he heard Cyndaquil fall on the ground. The poison was getting to her. "Oh for goodness sake," the trainer said._

_0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0_

_Cyndaquil was taken to a Pokémon Center to be treated for her poison. Cyndaquil was taken back into the room. Nurse joy gave her an Antidote, which rid her body of the poison. After the treatment, Nurse Joy picked Cyndaquil up in her arms and walked her out to the lobby. "Here you are si…"_

_Nurse Joy was interrupted when she noticed that the red-haired trainer was gone. Cyndaquil was surprised too. "Are you looking for a red-haired teenage boy?" asked an old man. "He says that he's going to the next city. He wants you to give Cyndaquil to some other trainer."_

_Cyndaquil was devastated. Her trainer had just abandoned her. "Oh…I'm sorry Cyndaquil," Nurse Joy said, trying to comfort Cyndaquil._

"You're not sorry! You're just like him!" _Cyndaquil shouted, angrily. She began to spit out huge Ember attacks throughout the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy dropped her on the ground, frightened by her power. Cyndaquil ran out of the door and into the forest._

_0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0_

"_My last trainer was such a jerk,_" Cyndaquil muttered. "_And the way May released me just made her just as bad of a trainer as he was._"

"Okay Croconaw, let's try using Ice Fang again," said a voice.

Cyndaquil perked its head up. "_I wonder who that is._" Cyndaquil thought to herself. She got up on her feet and began to walk towards the sound of the voice. She looked over a rock and saw Jahan and his Croconaw in the field. "_Oh, it's just that one guy whose face I burned,_" Cyndaquil muttered to herself.

She was amazed at Croconaw, however. Cyndaquil remembered Jahan taking the Totodile from Professor Elm's lab. "_Could…could that be the same Totodile that I know?_" Cyndaquil asked.

Croconaw stared down the dominating Tyranitar. "Croconaw, use Ice Fang!" Jahan shouted. Croconaw bared its fangs and encased them in ice. He took a jump forward and bit Tyranitar's mighty arm. He bit into the skin, freezing it and encasing it in ice. "Wow, Croconaw! You actually froze his arm!" Jahan commented on happily.

"_That's pretty impressive,"_ grunted Tyranitar. He then slammed his arm against the trees, breaking the ice. "_But it's going to take more than that to take me!_"

"_Bring it on!_" Croconaw shouted. He lunged towards Tyranitar.

Cyndaquil continued watching them battle each other. "_Wow…he's pretty amazing,_" Cyndaquil muttered. "_Hard to believe that was the same Totodile that I hung out with when we were wild Pokémon_."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

_After being abandoned by her trainer, Cyndaquil ran into the forest. She lied on the ground, feeling both depressed and angry. She was sad that someone thought she was weak, but angry at the fact that a human had mistreated her._

_She continued sulking as someone walked up behind her. "Hi there, stranger!"_

"_Go away!"_

"_Whoa, what got into you?"_

"_It's none of your business!"_

_Cyndaquil heard footsteps walking from behind her to right in front of her. Cyndaquil looked up. It turned out to be a Totodile, a sweet and caring Totodile._

"_Come on. We're friends here! What happened? Did you get abandoned by a trainer?" Totodile asked._

"_Actually…yes, I was abandoned by my trainer," she confessed._

"_Oh…well…that was awkward," Totodile murmured. "No…wait! No it isn't! Me and Chikorita were abandoned too."_

"_You…were?" asked Cyndaquil, cheering up a bit._

"_Yeah. Our trainers abandoned Chikorita and me a few months ago. I'm sorry to hear that it happened to you. It doesn't feel good to get rejected, doesn't it?"_

"_It sucks. I'll never trust another human again."_

"_Yeah! I mean, if all they're going to do is treat us like dirt, what's the point of being with a trainer. A wild Pokémon has freedom and pride!"_

"_I guess you're right," Cyndaquil said._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"_And the rest is history,_" Cyndaquil thought. "_Totodile, Chikorita, and I were a true group of friends. All three of us hated humans. But that was back then…now, Chikorita and Totodile…"_

Suddenly, Cyndaquil began to feel angry.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

LATER IN THE DAY…

On the side of Mount Silver, several brown tents were set up. They all had a giant "G" insignia on the side. It was clear that this was the campsite of the Team Galactic Commanders. Commander Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn had gotten up early and were now eating their breakfast. Commander Neptune, after his failed attempt on the S.S. Tidal, was getting a bad reputation from the team. He was very close to demotion by Cyrus, the leader himself. "So, it's been three days and we haven't found a strong Pokémon to bring back," Saturn told Neptune. "Ready to just quit the team yet?"

"No I am not!" protested Neptune. "My grand plan on the S.S. Tidal was an epic failure, but I am sure that my new plan will be a huge success for the boss."

"And what is your new plan?" asked Mars.

"I…I…"

Neptune looked around his surroundings, hoping to fake his way through. All he saw were Team Galactic grunts staring at him. However, a red roof peeking over the trees caught his eye. "I got it!" he exclaimed.

"What?" asked Saturn.

Neptune just shoved everyone aside. "We are going to rob a Pokémon Center," Neptune said.

"Rob a Pokémon Center?" asked Saturn.

"Think about it," continued Neptune. "Pokémon Trainers often have many strong Pokémon, and they have to heal those strong Pokémon. Where do they heal them? I say we go and steal all of those Pokémon that are being held at that Pokémon Center. Who knows what will turn up?"

The Grunts and Commanders continued to look at him. "That is…actually a good idea," one of the grunts commented.

"It's so simple," agreed another.

"Why haven't we done that yet?" asked a grunt.

"Humph," grunted Mars.

"I can't believe he was able to weasel his way out of this," Saturn said, angrily.

"Well, talk is cheap unless you can back it up," mentioned Jupiter.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**EVEN LATER ON IN THE DAY…**

After Croconaw's training, Jahan was praising his immense growth. "Oh man Croconaw, everyday you impress me," Jahan proudly said. "It's only been weeks and already you've learned Water Gun and Ice Fang! Heck, maybe you'll learn Aqua Tail tomorrow!"

"_That would be cool!_" Croconaw shouted.

"_Ummm…guys,_" Tyranitar said.

The two turned to the side and saw that Tyranitar's arm was shivering. "_I can't move my arm. I think it's frozen internally,_" Tyranitar moaned. "_I'm scared. Really, I am._"

"I'll take you to the Pokémon Center. It's probably nothing, just that a few Ice Fangs have made your arm cold," Jahan said.

Suddenly, a huge stream of fire blew in front of Tyranitar, inches from his face. "_What was that?"_ Tyranitar asked.

"_Did that warm you up?_" asked a voice.

The three looked at the bushes. Out came Cyndaquil, with anger in her eyes. "Oh look, a Cyndaquil!" Jahan said. "Let's catch it!"

"_Hold on! This Cyndaquil looks familiar_," Croconaw murmured.

"_What?!? You evolved so now you forgot your friends?!?_" Cyndaquil asked.

"_Cyndaquil? My lord, you look terrible._"

Cyndaquil replied with another Ember attack. "_Stop it! What are you doing? Did you forget we were friends?_"

"_I don't know. Did you forget about what you said about humans?_" Cyndaquil asked. Cyndaquil then blew an Ember attack at Croconaw. Croconaw used Water Gun to kill the fire. "_Look, that was different. Jahan is nothing like my last trainer! For one thing, he doesn't put me up for grabs."_

"_He will eventually!_" Cyndaquil murmured. Cyndaquil was about to attack again, but suddenly the fire on her back was dying down. "_Cyndaquil listen, go back to May!_" advised Croconaw. "_She can help you get stronger and feel better, like how Jahan did with me._"

"_Never!_" Cyndaquil shouted. She opened her mouth for another fiery Ember attack, but all that came out was a small spark that Tyranitar easily put out with his mighty foot. Cyndaquil then collapsed. She had no will to fight anymore.

"Come on, let's get out of here!" Jahan said, frantically. As Jahan and Tyranitar began running away, Croconaw continued looking at a weakened Cyndaquil. "_She still doesn't get it._"

"Come on Croconaw, let's go!" Jahan shouted. Croconaw shook his head at Cyndaquil before running after Tyranitar and Croconaw, leaving Cyndaquil unconscious on the ground.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**THAT NIGHT…**

After a few hours, Cyndaquil woke up, still hungry and dehydrated. She looked up and the night sky. She couldn't speak. She was too tired and weak. "_Great…"_ was all she could say. She then heard the sounds of laughter, which peaked her interest. She mustered up all of her strength to walk over to the nearby Pokémon Center. Through the windows, she saw May, Drew, and her Pokémon laughing as Blaziken was struggling to take off his 'Garchomp' get-up. Cyndaquil was feeling depressed again. This time, however, she was jealous of all the fun and happiness that May and Drew's teams were having.

One thing that caught her interest was her other best friend, Chikorita…or Bayleef, as she was now. Cyndaquil was feeling worse than before. "_First Totodile evolves, and now Chikorita? And she was my gal friend, too! I bet they're all powerful and strong, just because…their trainer helped them…I guess_," she thought. She gulped as she got onto her feet.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"_I'm serious! Get this thing off of me!"_ Blaziken shouted, angrily. He was trying desperately to rip off the fake shark fins and wings, but for some reason, they were stuck. Everyone was laughing as he danced around, trying to take off the costume.

Suddenly, there was the sound of rapping (definition: to hit swiftly and sharply) against the back door of the Pokémon Center. "What in the world is that?" Drew asked.

"I'll check it out," May said. She got up from her seat and began walking towards the door. She opened it. "Hello?" she asked. There wasn't an answer. She then felt something crawling up her leg. She looked down…and finally saw the weak Cyndaquil at her foot. "Cyndaquil?!?" she shouted. "Oh my…you…look…terrible."

"_Help…me,_" moaned Cyndaquil, before collapsing again.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: Hooray! The Conflicker's Worm didn't attack my computer. Anyway, I hope none of you guys were affected by the worm. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!

**NEXT TIME…**

Cyndaquil finally decides to go back to May. She is placed under critical condition as she recovers. May sits down beside her and listens to how Cyndaquil grew to hate humans. She hopes that maybe listening to Cyndaquil will gain her trust and respect.

But their little bonding time is cut short when the power cuts out at the Pokémon Center and Team Galactic invades the building. And unfortunately, Team Rocket isn't around to stop them. What's going to happen to the Pokémon Center? Will anyone get their Pokémon stolen by Team Galactic?

Well, unlike the anime, yes! Somebody will! But who?

All of this in the next, pulse-pounding chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	11. TN2: A Theft of Galactic Proportions!

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

REVIEW REPLIES

**Sakura Uchiha Hyuuga no Sabaku:** Yeah, Cyndaquil is coming to her senses. But she only goes back to her for food and to get stronger. Of course, she will evolve into a Quilava, so that she won't be upstaged by her friends.

**Arysd: **I like the backstory too. And the person who'll get their Pokémon stolen, whether you like him or not, you'll feel sorry for him.

**Katy Bella: **Is it really like a Pokémon episode? I think mine are slightly better than the show. Yeah, I know the Contestshipping is a little sparse right now, but I don't want to rush things.

**aaa: **When you spend years with a Pokémon, you start to understand their language.

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Tackle, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Cyndaquil (Ember, Smokescreen, Tackle, Quick Attack)

Squirtle (Ice Beam, Tackle, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_We check up on Cyndaquil and her not-so-successful life in the wild. Her shelter falls to pieces and she gets a cold from the rain. We learn about her old trainer and how she was abandoned. She meets Totodile and Chikorita when they were also abandoned by their trainers._

_Back in today, she meets up with her former best friends, Chikorita and Totodile…or Bayleef and Croconaw as they are now. She becomes jealous at their newfound strength and tries to battle them. But hunger and dehydration overcomes and she faints easily._

_When she wakes up, she sees her former team having fun and laughing. She decides to call it truce and go back to May…though, she faints at her feet._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Blackthorn City Pokémon Center**

"_How's Cyndaquil doing here?"_

"_She hasn't been doing well. She's been dehydrated, starved, beaten, feverish…she's an absolute mess."_

"_Oh no. Well, will she be okay?"_

"_She'll survive, but it will take time. If we're lucky, she'll be on her feet in a least a few weeks."_

"_I hope so. Is it alright if I'm in that room with her?"_

"_Sure. I think it will do it some good."_

That was all that Cyndaquil heard. She was unconscious, seeing nothing but blackness and her head throbbing. She then heard the door opening. Footsteps followed afterward. "_Wow, she doesn't look so good."_

"_She'll be okay."_

"_Do I need to mention the horrible treatment of Pokémon caused by Coordinators again?"_

"_Do I need to have Bayleef Vine Whip you across the face?"_

"_No need to get so violent. But the evidence is there."_

"_Jahan, Drew, can you guys leave? I want to spend some time alone with Cyndaquil._

"_Sure…okay."_

"_Don't do it! She'll slit her…AH!"_

"_Let's go, you idiot!"_

The door slammed shut. Cyndaquil began opening her eyes. Her vision was blurry, after being unconscious for so long. Once her vision cleared up, she looked around and saw that she was in a small white room, lying on her stomach on a table. She didn't feel very good. IN fact, she was worse than before.

May appeared in her face. "Oh, you're awake now?" she asked. Cyndaquil, startled, jumped on its legs and tried to breathe fire, but it fell back on its stomach. "It's okay! It's okay!" May shouted. "It's just me. I'm not going to hurt you."

Cyndaquil remained on the floor, tired and weak. "Wow…you aren't feeling good are you?" asked May.

"_Nah, bruises and scratches and a fever and hunger and dehydration are normal to a Pokémon,_" Cyndaquil thought.

"I wish I could feed you, but Nurse Joy said that I can't until later."

"_A conspiracy against me?_"

"Look Cyndaquil, even though you don't feel well, you still don't have to be a part of my team if you don't want to."

Cyndaquil turned its head away for a moment. "_May, I hate being a wild Pokémon, at least when I'm by myself. It was easy with Chikorita and Totodile, but they gone and joined with their trainers,"_ replied Cyndaquil.

"Do you still hate being a Trainer's Pokémon?" May asked.

"_I don't know if I do. I haven't been a trainer's Pokémon ever since my last trainer abandoned me," _she confessed.

May was surprised. "My last trainer? You had another trainer before me?" May asked.

"_It's a long story,_" Cyndaquil continued. "_But I had another trainer before you…so did Chikorita and Totodile._"

"Really?" May asked. She leaned in closer. "Tell me about your last trainer."

(**A/N: **Since you guys already know about Cyndaquil's last trainer, we're going to go to some more Jahan/Harley fun).

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Meanwhile, Harley emerged from the dressing room and walked in the Pokémon Center lobby. He had changed into his pajamas, which were (of course) styled after his favorite Pokémon Cacturne. They were similar to his day clothes, except the hat was much longer and the pants were much baggier.

Anyway, Harley walked towards his bags, which were in the lobby. "Well, I'm about ready to hit the sack," he muttered to himself. He turned around the corner…and saw his things scrambled across the floor. "What in the world?!? Somebody's been going through my belongings!" Harley shouted, angrily.

"Wow, I come off as such a jerk in this book of yours," said a voice. Harley turned his head and saw Jahan sitting on a comfortable couch reading one of his books. "You! You are the one who did this!" Harley shouted, pointing to his bag.

"Yeah, just curious as to what you carry around with you," Jahan replied. "Apparently, I've found your little hit-list. I'm one of your victims. Says here that I'm 'an inconsiderate punk with no rights for Pokémon Coordinators' and a 'jerk' and 'number one most wanted'. Wow, I didn't think you loved me that much."

"Don't falter yourself! Now give me my book!"

"Why should I? I want to see who else you resent."

Jahan then began looking through the pages of the book. "Hey Harley, do you a guy named Light?"

"Who?" asked Harley.

"He's a guy who has a book that if he writes somebody's name in it, they died of a heart attack. I doubt you can do that, or else I would be dead now."

"I wish I could."

"So Coordinators are murderers as well!"

"Only to those who are annoying pricks," said another familiar voice.

Jahan and Harley turned around and saw Drew and Bayleef walking towards them. Drew had a cookie in his hands (that he bought from the cafeteria). "Jahan, I'll be happy once we move on from Blackthorn City," Drew mumbled. "I'm tired of you repeating yourself over and over again. 'Coordinators are this. Coordinators are that. I was a champion…"

"I was!" Jahan shouted.

"Like May and I said…we never heard of you…and apparently, neither did Norman since you didn't win his badge."

"I did so…see!"

Jahan took out his Badge Case and flashed the Balance Badge at Drew. It looked very much like the Balance Badge, but Drew noticed that some parts of the metal were wrapped and bent. "Why are some parts of it bent?" Drew asked.

"I left it in the sun for too long, okay!" Jahan said, rather frantically.

"Right…" Harley said, sarcastically.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Cyndaquil, I never realized that about you," May said.

"_Yeah well…that's the story. I had a horrible trainer and so I believed that that's what all humans were,_" Cyndaquil said.

"Hmmm…red hair…I think I've met a trainer like that before."

"_Well…either way, if I ever do see him again, I'm burning him to a crisp._"

"Well, let's hope we never see him again. But Cyndaquil, I'm nothing like that."

"_Yeah right…_"

"I'm not really! You have just been so stubborn that you never gave me a chance. When you collapsed at my feet, did you think your old trainer would even help you…or feed you?"

Cyndaquil thought to herself for a moment. "_You know_," she thought. "_I saw her having fun with her Pokémon. They were laughing and happy. I guess…maybe she isn't as bad as I thoug…"_

Cyndaquil was interrupted when Nurse Joy opened the door. "May…I'm going to need you to leave right now. I still need to do a few tests," she said.

"Okay," replied May. She got up and walked out the door. Nurse Joy shut the door behind her. She turned back to Cyndaquil, only this time her smile grew wicked. "You're coming with me," she smirked, in…a _very_ deep voice that surprised Cyndaquil. Cyndaquil grew even more suspicious when Nurse Joy pulled out a burlap sack.

May, unaware of what was going on in Cyndaquil's room, was headed back to the lobby. She saw Drew standing against the wall, watching as Jahan and Harley continued their usual bickering. "Hey Drew!" she shouted.

Drew turned around and saw May walking towards him. "Oh hi," Drew replied.

"So, what are these two doing?" May asked.

"You know, the usual: acting like a bunch of idiots," answered Drew.

"Where were you doing all day?" asked May.

"I was just getting Bayleef ready for her first contest appearance."

"Contest?" May asked. "Oh, that's right! The Blackthorn City Contest is coming up!"

"Don't tell me you forgot!"

"Well, I was pretty busy with the gym training."

"I can tell. I was watching you train again. Squirtle's really doing great."

"He is. It'll only be a matter of time before he evolves into a Wartortle."

The two continued to watch Harley and Jahan bicker at each other, fighting over Harley's book. Bayleef then nudged May in the side of the ribs. May looked down at her. "Um…what is it?" asked May. She then remembered the story Cyndaquil told her in the room. "Oh…you're worried about Cyndaquil, aren't you?" she asked. Bayleef nodded her head. "She's doing okay. She's still bad, but maybe if you and maybe Croconaw visited her maybe it will cheer her up."

"That does sound like a good idea," Drew said. "But how are you going to get Croconaw from Jahan? I don't think he cares that Croconaw is friends with Cyndaquil. All he sees is that Cyndaquil is your Pokémon…"

"I don't think Jahan is that mean as to not let Croconaw visit an old friend." May began to walk towards Jahan.

Jahan had finished his argument with Harley. "Alright, here's your stupid book back," Jahan said, throwing the book into Harley's face. "If you need me I'm going to get changed into my sleep clothes."

"Try to stay out of the women's room this time," scolded May.

"I told you! IT WASN'T MY FAULT!" he shouted, angrily. He stared at Harley with an angry expression. Harley looked up and locked eyes with him. "Don't worry," he answered. "I didn't mess with the signs this time. Nurse Joy got smart and super glued them to the wall." Jahan collected his nightwear and headed towards the changing rooms. May walked closer to Croconaw. "Hey," she whispered. "Want to visit Cyndaquil in her room?"

Croconaw jumped happily as he, Bayleef, and May began walking to Cyndaquil's room.

Jahan entered the men's dressing room, checking the signs. Harley was right. The signs were super glued to prevent further problems. Jahan entered the room…and came back out with a stern look. He stared at Harley. Harley noticed this. "What? Am I so attractive that you want stare at me for the rest of your life?" taunted Harley.

"Don't flatter yourself," replied Jahan. "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Don't lie to me!"

"I don't know what you are talking."

"You know what I'm talking about! You stripped Nurse Joy down to her underwear, tied her up, taped her mouth, and shoved her down onto the floor of the men's changing room."

"What?!? I never did that!"

"See for yourself!"

Jahan left Harley to the men's changing room. He was right. Nurse Joy was struggling around on the ground, in her underwear, trying to get herself free. She continued to mumble, as her mouth was taped shut. "What happened? Who did this to you?" Harley asked. He kneeled down and ripped the tape off Nurse Joy's mouth. "Ow! It is Team Galactic! They're here to steal the Pokémon!" she shouted, frantically.

"What?!?" Harley and Jahan asked. Jahan stared at Harley, suspiciously. "I didn't do this to her!" Harley exclaimed, angrily.

"Yeah, you're right. That would involve undressing a woman, something you can never bear to do with your lifestyle," Jahan replied.

"Ohhhh…you skinny, chicken…" Harley sputtered, angrily.

"Hahaha," Drew laughed.

"AAHHHH!" shouted a voice.

Harley and Jahan jumped when they heard the piercing shriek. Harley, Jahan, and Nurse Joy left the room and met May in the lobby. "What happened?" Drew asked.

"The Pokémon…they're gone! Cyndaquil, Blaziken…everybody!" she panted, frantically.

"What?!?" they all asked, simultaneously.

"Oh no, Cacturne!" Harley shouted.

The five ran to the back room where the Pokémon were held. True to what May said, the entire Pokémon Center was cleaned out of their Pokémon. "No!" Harley shouted.

"They stole mine too?" asked Jahan.

"Someone call the cops," Drew said.

"Let's go and see if we can find them!" May shouted. "They couldn't have gone far!"

Harley, May, Drew, and Jahan ran out the door and into the night sky, hoping to find Team Galactic.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Team Galactic members were located on their mountainside. All of the Pokémon were locked up in steel cages. Their tents have evolved into makeshift warehouses. Helicopters and trucks were standing idly by, as they were about ready to leave with the Pokémon in tow.

"_Let us out of here!"_ Squirtle shouted.

Cyndaquil got on its feet and blew a weak Ember attack at the bars. Commander Jupiter, who was guarding the Pokémon, laughed at her feeble attempts. "Even if your attack was at full power, it's going to take more than that to break free. These bars are shock-proof, fireproof…"

Blaziken (A/N: he's still wearing his Garchomp outfit) suddenly got up and tried to use Blaze Kick against the metal bars. Not only was the fire on his feet put out, his foot was hurt by the impact.

"And…unbreakable," finished Jupiter.

"_Great…_" Blaziken groaned, angrily as he rubbed his injured leg.

"So, now that you know that there is no possible way for you to escape, the best thing to do is to sit there and shut up while we get you guys onto the choppers and trucks," Jupiter commanded.

Blaziken grew crosser as Jupiter smirked at him. Blaziken took a deep breath and blew a huge Flamethrower into the sky, nearing hitting Jupiter (she stepped aside at the last moment).

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

In the distance, the Pokémon Center was surrounded by Officer Jenny and other police officers. The Growlithe they always had on them were sniffing the area for any scents or clues. May and the rest were held up outside. "This is stupid!" criticized Jahan.

"God, you can't just wait to rip somebody, can't you?" Harley asked.

"We're wasting valuable time here! They have no idea, do they?" asked Jahan.

"Well…" May began.

Suddenly, everybody turned around and saw a huge fireball in the air. It was big and bright enough to light up the surrounding area. "Whoa…" Drew said, amazed.

"That must be somebody's Pokémon," deduced May. She looked down and saw smoke coming from the side of the mountain. "That's where they are being held. Come on!"

"Let's go, people!" Officer Jenny shouted. The officers got onto their motorcycles and their Growlithe jumped in the sidecars. The sirens were sounded and they sped off, following May and the rest.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

All of the Team Galactic were amazed at the Flamethrower attack. "Amazing," Mars said.

"A Garchomp with the ability to use Flamethrower and Blaze Kick?" pondered Jupiter.

"_What? A Garchomp?_" Blaziken asked. He looked down and saw that his fur was still purple and the wings and fins were still attached to him. "_Oh right…I'm still wearing this stupid thing_."

"A Garchomp with fire attacks is quite a rarity," speculated Saturn.

"Oh man! I going to get a huge promotion for this!" bragged Neptune, excitedly.

"_I'm not a Garchomp, you idiots!_" Blaziken shouted. The Team Galactic Commanders took no notice. "_Let us out, you creeps!_" Squirtle shouted.

"_Get me out so I can smash you!_" Tyranitar (Jahan) shouted.

The Pokémon continued to argue and shout at the commanders. "God, they're annoying," complained Jupiter.

"Don't worry. I solved that problem," Neptune proclaimed.

He took a remote out of his pocket and pressed the big green button. The Pokémon looked up and saw some strange wires coming out from the corners. "_Huh?_" Wigglytuff (Harley) asked. Suddenly, the wires lit up with electricity. "_Oh no,_" Cacturne whimpered. The whole cage filled with electricity, shocking and electrocuting everybody inside. The Pokémon screamed and shouted in pain.

"_Ow…that hurts,_" cried Eevee.

"See?" asked Neptune. "Problem solved."

"Wow…you really are one of us," commented Jupiter.

The Pokémon remained on the floor, paralyzed beyond care. Munchlax got up on its chubby legs. "_Great…that really sucked,_" he murmured.

"_We're going to die, aren't we?_" Banette (Harley) asked.

"_Shut up,_" Flygon replied.

"_Yeah, you wuss!_" Tyranitar added.

"_Hey, how come you and Tyranitar didn't get shocked?_" Cyndaquil asked.

"_We're both part-Ground, and thus immune to electricity,_" answered Flygon.

Suddenly, the Galactic Commanders came back. This time…they brought the leader, Cyrus. "So…you've taken Pokémon from the Pokémon Center nearby?" Cyrus asked. "I must say Neptune, I am surprised that I didn't even come up with such a simple plan."

"Thank you sir," Neptune replied. Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn looked at Neptune and Cyrus in hatred in their eyes.

"I'll see to it that you get a very nice bonus," continued Cyrus. "Now then, what do we have in our stock?"

Cyrus and Neptune continued to look at the distressed Pokémon. "Let's see…so far, the girl had an Eevee, a Garchomp, a Squirtle, a sick Cyndaquil, and a Munchlax," reported Neptune. Cyrus eyed the 'Garchomp' suspiciously. "Is that some sort of joke?" asked Cyrus, angrily.

"Um…what do you mean?" Neptune asked.

"What attacks does it know?" Cyrus asked.

"So far, we know it can use Blaze Kick and Flamethrower."

"It can't learn those attacks."

"Actually it can."

Cyrus walked up to the cage door. He unlocked the cage using a laser remote and pulled Blaziken out of the cage. He ripped the fins and the wings off Blaziken. All that was left was Blaziken himself, but his fur was still dyed purple. "Ohhh…" Neptune said.

"Nice catch Neptune," Jupiter said.

"It-It-It can be a shiny Blaziken," Neptune stuttered.

"Neptune, I don't like you wasting our time and money on fake Pokémon. Your promotion is now a mere raise."

"Ah man…" groaned Neptune.

"The other girl's Pokémon are all useless," Cyrus said, scornfully.

"_Hey!_" Cyndaquil shouted.

"What about the others?" Neptune asked.

"The others, I'm quite impressed it. You collected quite a lot of powerful ones, especially from that boy John…or whatever his name is," remarked Cyrus. "Are the trucks here yet?"

"No. Only the chopper, sir," Jupiter said.

"Well get on the radio and tell the drivers to hurry up! We can't waste time. The police may already be on the way."

As the Commanders were conversing with Cyrus, Cyndaquil continued to feel depressed. "_I'm not like your last trainer,_" Cyndaquil thought to herself. "_She abandoned me for one minute and I get stolen by creeps with bad haircuts._"

"_She didn't know this was going to happen,_" Eevee said.

"_Besides, we've been through this before,_" admitted Munchlax.

"_She'll come for us_," Blaziken said.

"_What makes you say that?_" asked Staraptor (Jahan). "_My trainer's always told me those Coordinators…_"

Staraptor was interrupted when Jahan's Luxray bit down on his wing and used Thunder Fang.

"_Now is not a good time,_" Luxray said. "_We need to find out how to break free from this prison_."

"Hey! Hold it right there!" shouted Cyrus.

The Pokémon turned and saw that the Team Galactic had cornered an intruder. Blaziken and the rest of May's team knew who it was. "_May?!?_" Blaziken asked.

"_Well, so much for a grand rescue,_" Staraptor remarked.

"What are you doing here?!?" asked Cyrus.

"I…I just wanted to save my Pokémon," May said, in a very high-pitched voice.

"Get on the ground, now!" Jupiter shouted.

"But…"

"_Grrrr…_" growled Cyrus's Houndoom.

May flattened herself onto her stomach as Houndoom bared its fangs at May. However, Blaziken and Cacturne noticed something _odd_ about May. She had purple hair and her voice was even more high-pitched than usual. "_Hey Cacturne, does May seem a little off to you?_" Blaziken asked.

"_She does I admit._"

Then, comes a whisper. "Psst…hey guys."

Everyone turned around and saw May kneeling down at the cage door. Drew and his Bayleef and Jahan and his Croconaw were alongside her. "_May…you're here!_" Cyndaquil shouted, happily. "_You're actually here!_"

"Shush…we're going to break you out of here," Drew whispered.

Blaziken noticed that there were two May's, one was dressed like a Cacturne and the other was like the original May. "_Hey, what are you doing wearing a Cacturne outfit?_" Blaziken asked. Cacturne and Blaziken then looked at the other May, and then back to the May in front of them. They connected two and two together. "_That's Harley with Team Galactic, isn't it?_" Blaziken asked.

"Yeah…it was his idea. He and I switched clothes. He said that if I wore this, I would be more stealthier," explained May.

"_Not surprising,_" Cacturne said. "_Harley's cross-dressed as her before._"

Jahan's Pokémon looked at Cacturne with wide eyes. "_Hey, my partner trying to save us. The least you can do is not judge him_," Cacturne said.

As Team Galactic were busy interrogating Harley, Drew, Jahan, and May tried to break the locks to the cages. Although, nothing was working. "What kind of locks are these?" Drew asked. "They don't have and keyholes to pick."

"Croconaw, try and Bite the lock!" Jahan shouted.

Croconaw jumped up and began gnawing at the metal locks. Unfortunately, it did little good. "_It's not good,_" Cyndaquil said. "_It opens by a laser remote…which is what the leader always has on him._"

May looked back at Team Galactic and Harley. Harley distracted all of the Galactic members…and Cyrus happened to leave his remote on a wooden crate right beside him. May started to tiptoe her way over to the remote. "Are you crazy?" Jahan asked.

"May, get back here!" Drew shouted quietly.

"I know what I'm doing," May said.

She used the darkness and quietly sneaked her way closer to Cyrus. They were still arguing with Harley. "Let me and my Pokémon go!" Harley begged.

"Sorry young lady," Neptune said. "But the Pokémon belong to Team Galactic now!"

"You monsters!" Harley cried out. He then began crying (horribly). He placed his face on the ground. He saw May trying to sneak closer to the remote. "_May, I hope this plan works,_" he thought to himself.

May was now only a foot away from the remote. Nevertheless, she had to be careful. Cyrus was _**very**_ close to her. May reached her hand out…and grabbed the remote from the crate. May looked at Cyrus's back. "_Good, I'm safe,_" she thought. May quickly ran back to Harley and Jahan. May first used the remote to unlock the cages to her Pokémon.

"_We're free!_" Munchlax shouted, happily.

"_Shush, you idiot!_" scolded Blaziken.

Drew then used the remote to try to free his Pokémon. Houndoom's ears poked up as he heard various Pokémon chatter. He turned around and began barking loudly. "Houndoom, silence yourself this instance!" Cyrus said, sternly. Then, Cyrus turned around…and saw the three trying to get away. "We have intruders!" Cyrus shouted.

"Oh great, we're busted," Jahan moaned.

"Well, it looks like we have no choice by to fight," Drew said. "Bayleef and Masquerain, use Razor Leaf and Silver Wind!"

Bayleef then began shooting out very sharp razor-edged leaves while Masquerain used Silver Wind to propel them. "I don't think so," Cyrus remarked. "Houndoom, dispose of them with Flamethrower!"

Houndoom raised his head up and blew a huge stream of fire at the two. The two quickly rolled/flew out of the way. Cyrus then took out another Poké Ball and threw it in the air. "Weavile, assist Houndoom with Ice Punch!"

Weavile popped out of its Poké Ball. Alongside Houndoom, Weavile flew quickly towards Bayleef, his fist encased in ice.

Harley got up on his feet. "Ariados, take it out with Spider Web!" Harley commanded. Ariados crawled from its cage and shot out a huge stream of webbing from its mouth. Weavile and Houndoom were tied down onto the ground.

"Good shot, Harley!" May shouted.

May then looked in front of her and saw two Crobat staring at her. "Umm…oh no…" worried May.

"_Stay away from my trainer!_" shouted a voice. A few fireballs were shot at the Pokémon. May turned…and was happy to see Cyndaquil on its feet ready to battle. The fire on her back was as bright and red as ever. "_This woman cares for me!_"

"Cyndaquil, are you…are you helping me?" May asked.

"_Just give me the word and I'll torch them,_" boasted Cyndaquil.

"_Try it, shorty!_" Crobat said.

Cyndaquil took a deep breath and unleashed everything onto the Crobat, severely burning them. "Amazing…" May mumbled looking on. She was happy that Cyndaquil was showing her some respect towards her.

Once the fire cleared, all that was left were charred Crobat and an exhausted Cyndaquil. "Cyndaquil!" May shouted, frantically. She scurried to where Cyndaquil lied. "Cyndaquil, are you okay?" asked May.

"_I…you actually came…for me,_" squeaked Cyndaquil, weakly. "_You are…better than my…my last trainer_."

"Of course I am," replied May. "I really do care about you."

Suddenly, she heard some grunting. One of the Crobat was getting up. "Oh no," May said.

Crobat got onto his feet and stretched its wings out. He then lunged at May. May hugged Cyndaquil closely, protecting her from a possible attack.

Then, Squirtle appeared out of nowhere and used Tackle against Crobat, knocking him backwards. Crobat was still flying in the air. Squirtle then used Water Gun against the Crobat. However, Crobat continued to fly against the water. "_Persistent, huh?_" Squirtle asked. He then transformed his Water Gun into an Ice Beam. The ice connected with Crobat and froze his entire body in ice. "Alright Squirtle!" cheered May.

"_Yeah, I'm the man…or Pokémon, whatever!_" boasted Squirtle. He raised his arms in victory.

"_Show…off…_" Cyndaquil groaned.

All of a sudden, something strange happened. Squirtle began to glow brightly. Then, he began to change forms. He grew pointy ears, his tail puffier, and his claws grew out. May was shocked to see what was happening before her. "Squirtle…he's…he's…"

The white light went away and Squirtle was entirely different from before. Even he was amazed. "_What the…what happened to me?_" he asked himself.

"Squirtle, I can't believe it!" May shouted, happily. "You did it! You evolved into a Wartortle!"

"_Seriously?!? I'm a Wartortle now?!? Alright!"_ Wartortle cheered, proudly.

Wartortle then climbed onto the highest stack of wooden crates. "_Everyone…I now have newfound strength and power! People and Pokémon beware! I shall…_"

Wartortle's speech was cut off when a Stuntank blew a huge stream of fire into his face, burning him. "_Ow…that sucked,_" he moaned. He then fell back, much to May and Cyndaquil's disappointment. "Great, now he's stuck-up," complained May.

"What are you idiots doing?!?" Cyrus asked, angrily. "Get me some reinforcements!"

All of the Team Galactic grunts and commanders began sending out a group of Zubat, Glameow, Stunky, and Toxicroak. "Alright, defend the base!" one of the grunts shouted.

While they were busy fighting with each other, Jahan was freeing his Pokémon. Soon enough, Team Galactic had enough. Cyrus began to board the helicopter. "Attention all Team Galactic members, I believe this is a pointless battle. So, everyone must get onto a truck or the chopper in the next ten minutes or you are being left behind," Cyrus said in his radio.

"_But sir…we need more time to regroup,_" replied Saturn.

"_And we have to steal the Pokémon again,_" added Neptune.

"That is my final warning! Ten minutes and I'm leaving!" warned Cyrus.

Jahan was almost done with his Pokémon. All he needed to do was to free Tyranitar. But suddenly, Neptune appeared in front of him. "I don't think so!" Neptune said, angrily. "You are not going to take away my reward."

"Back off, you freak!" Jahan shouted, angrily. Luxray appeared in front of his trainer. He bared his fangs and powered up its teeth with electricity. "Oh yeah?" asked Neptune.

Suddenly, a giant Magmortar walked beside his trainer in front of Jahan and Luxray. Magmortar was definitely much bigger than Luxray. "Wow…he's huge," commented Jahan.

"_Oh please, I would be too if I was on two legs,_" boasted Luxray.

Magmortar lifted its hands at Luxray and unleashed a huge Smokescreen, covering part of the complex. The rest of the Stunky lifted their tails and used Poison Gas to cover the entire complex. "Oh no," Jahan groaned. May, Harley, Drew, Jahan and their Pokémon began to cough violently. "_Stupid Stunky and their poison,_" coughed Jahan.

Suddenly, the helicopter's blades blew the smoke clear. It took the trainers a bit to adjust their eyesight. The trucks loaded with Grunts have already driven away and the Commanders and Cyrus were flying away in the chopper. "Darn it!" Drew shouted. "They're getting away."

"At least all of our Pokémon are safe," chipped in Harley.

"No!" Jahan shouted.

Everyone looked up and saw that Tyranitar was being flown away in his cage that was hanging from a cable connected to the bottom of the chopper. "Tyranitar, come back!" shouted Jahan. Jahan then began running towards the helicopter. "Jahan, come back!" May shouted.

Jahan chased after Tyranitar's cage. "I'm not going to let them steal my best Pokémon," he muttered to himself.

"_Save me, master!_" boomed Tyranitar. Jahan then jumped up onto the bottom of the cage. "I got it!" he shouted happily. The chopper then began to go higher into the sky. They were now a good hundred feet off the air.

Unfortunately, Cyrus was watching over the side of the chopper. "It seems we are carrying some extra weight," he uttered. He then took out a remote. "Good thing I kept another remote in case something like this happens." He pressed the big green button on the remote.

An electric current traveled through the metal of the cage. Now, since Tyranitar was part Rock-type, the electricity doesn't hurt him one bit. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Jahan. The electricity loosened his grip and Jahan began falling from a hundred and thirty-seven feet. Jahan screamed as he began plunging towards the ground.

"Jahan!" May shouted. She saw Jahan falling. She stopped just underneath his supposed landing spot and stretched her arms out to catch him. Jahan fell into her arms, knocking onto the back. Both Jahan and May were unconscious, but they recovered. "Are you okay?" May asked.

"Get off!" Jahan shouted, shoving her back.

"Well, you're welcome!" May replied, angrily.

Sounds of police sirens and the sight of flashing lights caught everybody's attention. "Oh goody, the authorities are here…about fifteen minutes too late," joked Harley.

"You always have to have the last word, don't you?" Drew asked.

"People just happen to like me," replied Harley.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: That's right…Jahan is the one who's Pokémon gets stolen…and it happens to be his Tyranitar. But on the plus side, Cyndaquil now respects and obeys May and Squirtle evolved into a Wartortle! May feels even more confident in her Pokémon. But will she be able to take on Clair's newly powered-up Pokémon?

Oh, and if anyone is interested, I put up a new poll up on my profile. Please feel free to look and vote if you want. All of the storylines presented are funny/serious in their own way:

**(Death Note) **_Kira: Thy Name is Yagami_: Takes place after Death Note series. Ryuk, again bored with the Shinigami Realm, decides to drop his Death Note in the human world for more amusement...and who better to pick it up than the distressed younger sister of Light Yagami.

**(Bully) **_Total Shootout Chaos_: A school shooting at Bullworth Academy shakes up the school and its students. With 42 students killed, it's nothing compared to the media frenzy and outbreak that occurs after the shooting.

**(Lucky Star) **_Lucky Mountain_: Konata Izumi invites her friends to go with her to California's Six Flags Magic Mountain. Tsukasa goes to conquer her fear of roller coasters, though she gets less-than-desirable results.

**(Mario Kart) **This one is just Mario and his friends (and enemies) entering a kart racing tournament.

**NEXT TIME…**

Jahan, after having his Tyranitar stolen by Team Galactic, becomes sorely depressed and angry with everybody, especially the Coordinators and police. Now, because of his previous behavior, no one believes he deserves their pity…mainly because he doesn't want it…especially from them. He becomes very violent, slapping May (getting some heat from Drew) and attacking the police. May wants to help out, but she fears backlash from Harley and Drew…and Jahan himself.

Meanwhile, Wartortle and Cyndaquil (despite Cyndaquil's newfound attitude) began to feud with each other. Actually, everyone's getting tired of his cocky attitude, just because he evolved. Guess Blaziken is going to have to knock some sense into him…unless Munchlax wants to volunteer.

Will Jahan's behavior become even worse…or will he reconsider when May tries her best to help him? And will the other Pokémon cure (get rid of) Wartortle's cocky arrogance?

Tune into the next drama-filled chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"!


	12. Training Day Three: Mental Cleansing

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

REVIEW REPLIES

**Angelimist: **If May used Blaziken, she could have defeated Clair easily. Of course, what fun would that be?

**Sapphire addict: **I did not think anyone would catch the Death Note reference. You really are an anime fan.

**Katy Bella: **I don't see how it was close to becoming second-person. And don't worry, there will be some Contestshipping in this chapter.

**Arysd: **I'm glad you like him…or at least his character anyway. I can actually picture Mary and Harley switching clothes too.

**Sakura Uchiha Hyuuga no Sabaku: **Cyndaquil will eventually evolve…not now, but she will.

**Eternal Butterfly: **Funny you should mention Aqua Tail…

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Tackle, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Cyndaquil (Ember, Smokescreen, Tackle, Quick Attack)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, **Aqua Tail**, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

-I'm many of you have already heard by now, but for those that haven't: **It's Official! Pokémon Gold and Silver remakes are coming to the Nintendo DS!** After years of playing Pokémon ShinyGold and waiting, Nintendo and GameFreak have confirmed that in late 2009, Pokémon Heart Gold and Soul Silver are coming to the DS! I can't wait to see how they remake it! I especially want to hear the remade music!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_Cyndaquil wakes up in a Pokémon Center room. She sees May right in front of her. Although she will not admit it, she is happy to be back with her. She confesses to may on her old trainer, which led to her hating every trainer. Nurse Joy comes into the room and asks May to leave. As it turns out later, this Nurse Joy is not what she looks to be._

_Meanwhile, Jahan and Harley continue to argue with each other. Who doesn't love their bickering? Harley then finds Nurse Joy tied up in the men's dressing room. As it turns out, the previous Nurse Joy was actually a Team Galactic member in disguise. Once they find out, it's too late. Their Pokémon have already been stolen._

_Wasting no time at all, May, Drew, Harley, and Jahan manage to create a plan to get their Pokémon back. Once they found out, they begin fighting back. May was about to be attacked by Crobat, but suddenly Cyndaquil steps in front of her and blows a huge Ember attack. However, that is not enough to take out one Crobat. Squirtle shows up and blasts him with Ice Beam. After taking out Crobat, Squirtle then evolves into a Wartortle._

_With no choice but to flee, Cyrus and Team Galactic board the helicopters and take off, managing to leave with Jahan's Tyranitar._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Blackthorn City Pokémon Center**

After the Team Galactic fiasco was finished, Drew, Jahan, Harley, and May returned to the Pokémon Center to heal their Pokémon. May's Cyndaquil was now under critical condition…again.

Cyndaquil was lying down on her stomach, feeling beaten and exhausted from fighting the Crobat. May sat on a stool by her bed. She watched as Cyndaquil quietly slept peacefully. She reached out and patted her head softly. "Thank you Cyndaquil," whispered May. She got up and left the room quietly.

Outside, Nurse Joy stood in front of her. "How is she?" Nurse Joy asked.

"She's sleeping right now," May replied. "I'm just overjoyed that she decided to come back to me."

"Hopefully, she'll grow stronger," Nurse Joy added.

In the Pokémon Center lobby, the police officers swarmed the building and began investigating. They checked for clues and asked the trainers questions. This made Jahan cross. "So, your assumption is that a Pokémon was stolen from you?" asked the officer.

"That is not an assumption, that's actually what happened!" Jahan replied, angrily.

"Young man, please control your rage," ordered the officer.

"How can I?!? My Tyranitar was stolen from me and you guys are sitting here doing nothing!"  
"We're asking questions."

"THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" Jahan shouted. "WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO HIM RIGHT NOW!"

"Sir, we're doing our best. We're just doing a thorough job."

'No you're not! You're killing time while Team Galactic is torturing my Tyranitar!"

"_Shush_!"

"Who shushed me?!?" Jahan asked, angrily.

"Seriously Jahan, calm down," Harley replied. "It was just a stupid Tyranitar."

Jahan took a quick glance at him. He punched Harley across the face, surprising everyone. Harley stumbled onto his knees, rubbing his cheek. Harley jumped back up and was ready to return the favor, but several police officers and Drew held him back. "Let me go! He assaulted me!" Harley shouted, angrily.

"Well, you insulted his Pokémon," May replied. "I think this is one of those rare cases where you deserved it."

Jahan left the lobby and began heading upstairs to his room. He saw May on the way, but said nothing. May decided to speak up. "Um Jahan," May said.

"What? What it is?" Jahan asked, rather coldly.

"Um…what Harley said…don't listen to him," answered May.

"I never listen to him. He's a Coordinator." Jahan then continued on his way. "Don't worry May," Nurse Joy said. "He may not show it, but he's devastated about losing his Pokémon."

"I know," replied May.

Once Jahan climbed the stairs was out of sight, May quietly followed Jahan up to his room. Jahan shut the door behind him. May placed her ear up against the door. She hoped to hear something from Jahan.

Inside, Jahan sat down on his bed. Croconaw was on the floor, looking up on him. "_How you holding up, master_?" asked Croconaw. Jahan said nothing. He turned on the radio and began playing loud music.

Outside, the loud rock music made it hard for May to hear anything. However…she could definitely hear the sound of a young man crying.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**NEXT DAY…**

It was a sunny day in Blackthorn City. After breakfast, May took Blaziken out in the back. Using the garden hose that the Pokémon Center owned, she began washing and scrubbing away the purple dye from Blaziken's fur. "_Ahhh…_" Blaziken sighed. "_It's going to be nice to be red again._"

"I thought the Garchomp outfit was nice," replied May as she continued brushing Blaziken's fur.

"_But it was also heavy and uncomfortable_," added Blaziken. "_I'll be happy once that costume was torched._"

"But at least we got enough practice to take on Clair again," May said.

"_You think we're ready?_"

"I know we are. Squirtle's evolved, Cyndaquil obeys me now, and Munchlax is doing great with Focus Punch. Clair better look out!"

After a while, the purple dye washed away and Blaziken's fur had its red color restored. "_Man, I feel great!_" Blaziken said, happily.

May smiled but then turned back to the Pokémon Center, where she saw Jahan, sitting on a couch, curled up in a ball. May began to feel sorry for him. But then, she turned away. "Why do I care? He's always such a jerk to me," she muttered to herself. "But then again, no one deserves to have their Pokémon stolen from them."

"_Huh?_" Blaziken asked.

May turned to Blaziken. "Ummm…Blaziken, you need to dry out your fur," she said. "Everyone is in our training spot, so why don't you go ahead and join them? I'll be with you guys shortly."

"_Okey-dokey!_" Blaziken replied. He then joined May's other Pokémon in the forest clearing. May herself walked back towards the Pokémon Center to where Jahan was sitting.

May sees that Jahan was very depressed with bags under his eyes. It was definitely from all the crying he did last night. "Uh…hi," she said. Jahan perked his head up and took a quick glance at May. "What do you want?" Jahan asked, coldly.

"Ummm…well…I just came by to say that I'm sorry about what happened."

"You better be sorry. Instead of lounging around, you could have chased after Team Galactic and maybe save Tyranitar."

"_WHAT?!? YOU LITTLE…calm down…calm down…he's depressed…_" May thought to herself. "Well…maybe I should have…but I didn't."

"Coordinators are useless after all," added Jahan.

May decided to ignore that comment. "Jahan, if there's anything you want from me…"

"I just wanted my Tyranitar back!" interrupted Jahan.

"The police are doing their best…"

"No they are not! They are loafing around doing nothing!"

"Jahan, listen…"

"I've heard enough." Jahan got up from his seat. "I'm going up to my room." He then walked up the stairs up to his room. May began to feel bad for him.

"Why?" asked a voice. May turned around…and saw Drew, standing behind her. "Why are you helping him?" Drew asked.

"Because…I feel bad for him," answered May.

"For what?" Drew asked. "That guy has pushed you down, beaten you, trash talked at you…"

"I know that! But no one should have their Pokémon stolen from them."

"Except Jahan, he deserves it."

"Really? You think that?!?" May asked, angrily. "I expected that from Harley, but you? What if your Pokémon was stolen from you?"

"They weren't."

May just glared at him before she took off. "Where are you going?" asked Drew.

"Like you care," May replied. Drew just scowled as May began walking towards Cyndaquil's room.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Out in the fields, May's Pokémon were training for the upcoming rematch against Clair. Eevee stood watch as Wartortle practiced his new move, Aqua Tail. Cyndaquil was still at the Pokémon Center. Blaziken and Munchlax were standing by a group of trees. Munchlax, for some reason, had a blindfold across his eyes, blinding him. "_Ummm…I'm not sure what this is for,_" Munchlax said, confused.

"_We're working on your focus,_" explained Blaziken. "_We're going to see if you can hit the tree without actually seeing the tree. I saw it in one of May's dad's movies._"

"_I'm not sure this will work,_" Munchlax said.

"_Hey, remember what May said, if you win, she'll give you a bag full of Poké Blocks_," Blaziken said.

"_Hmmm…well, I guess I should give it a go_," Munchlax said.

Munchlax then covered his eyes with the blindfold. Blaziken then spun him around ten times to make him dizzy. "_Now…picture the tree right in front of you…then, just whack it with everything you got!_" Blaziken said.

"_Okay…_"

Munchlax took a deep breath. He pictured the tree in his mind. "_Concentrate…I want to hit the tree…I want Poké Blocks…Poké Blocks are good…hit the tree!_"

Then, Munchlax used Focus Punch and hit something. He heard someone groan in pain. "_Did I get the tree_?" he asked. He took off his blindfold and saw Blaziken on the ground, grabbing his stomach. "_Oops…_" Munchlax said.

"_Nice shot…wrong target_…" Blaziken groaned. He began coughing as she struggled to get back on his feet.

"_I guess we'll call for a lunch break?_" asked Munchlax.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

At the Pokémon Center, May was in Cyndaquil's room, with a plate of apples in her hands. "Well Cyndaquil," began May. "You can eat food now, and since you've been hungry for days, I bet you can't just wait to eat something. So I made these!"

Cyndaquil was confused. She always ate berries, but never apples. She took a quick sniff of the apple piece in her hands. "Just try it. It's nice and juicy!" May said. Cyndaquil got up on its feet and took a bite of the apple. "_Hmmm…this is good_," she replied. She then took another piece. "See? I told you it's good," May said, happily.

Soon enough, May's smile turned into a frown. Cyndaquil noticed this. "_What's wrong?_" Cyndaquil asked. "_I'm following your orders now! I thought that would make you happy!_"

"Oh no Cyndaquil, you're not the problem," replied May. "It's about Jahan."

"_Jahan…Jahan…who is Jahan…oh you mean that guy whose face I burned?_" Cyndaquil asked, suddenly remembering that time. "_Is he still going on about hating Coordinators?_"

"Yes, but that's not the problem," said May. "Tyranitar was kidnapped and he seems really depressed."

As May was talking, Jahan and Croconaw were walking down the hallway. Jahan continuously rubbed his eyes, claiming to get a bug out of his eye.

"I don't care what Drew and Harley says, no one deserves to lose their Pokémon," May said. Jahan stopped in his tracks once he heard that. He stepped a little closer to the door to Cyndaquil's room.

"_I thought you hate him_," Cyndaquil said.

"I do," May replied. "But…like I said, he doesn't deserve this. He deserves some pity."

"_You know, if your Pokémon was stolen, he'd just laugh and said that you deserve it for being a Coordinator._"

"I don't think he's that cruel."

"_How do you know?_"

"Even a person like him, would feel sorry for me if my Pokémon was ever stolen," May said.

"_I doubt that,_" Cyndaquil said.

Jahan continued hearing their conversation. "_Wow…she feels sorry for you,_" mentioned Croconaw. "_Just let her comfort you._"

"As nice as she is, she's a Coordinator…and she can't be trusted," Jahan said.

"_Really? That's your excuse for everything isn't it? Just let her talk to you_," argued Croconaw.

"No."

Jahan then continued on his way. "_Wow…if you want to know the meaning of stubborn…_" Croconaw thought.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After an hour, Blaziken was finally able to get back on his feet. "_Okay…okay…_" Blaziken panted. "_I'm good! I feel better now!_"

"_Sorry about that,_" Munchlax said.

"_It's okay. Just try it again._"

Blaziken stepped back as Munchlax put the blindfold back on. "_Okay…visualize the tree…I see the tree…splinters!_"

Munchlax then punched the tree in front of him. This time, he _**actually**_ hit the tree and the tree was broken into splinters. "_He's done it! He can be taught!_" Blaziken shouted, happily.

"_I did it!_" Munchlax said, happily.

"_Oh please…_" said a voice. Blaziken and Munchlax turned around and saw Wartortle standing behind them. "_Watch this!_"

Wartortle ran towards the water and jumped in. Everyone saw him swim towards the other side of the lake. "_Ummm…is he going to do anything?_" Munchlax asked.

Suddenly, a big wave emerged from the water and began heading towards Blaziken, Munchlax, and Eevee. "_Tsunami!_" Eevee shouted.

"_And it's heading straight towards us! Head for the hills!_" Munchlax shouted.

"_Wait!_" Blaziken said.

On top of the wave was Wartortle. Wartortle created the wave using Surf. At the last moment, before the wave crashed down on the hill, Wartortle used Ice Beam to freeze the wave into ice. The ice crashed down onto Eevee, Blaziken, and Munchlax and turned into snow.

Soon enough, the three managed to dig their way out of the snow. "_Try doing that, Blaziken!_" boasted Wartortle.

"_I can't! I'm a Fire-type Pokémon!_" Blaziken yelled.

"_Exactly, and that makes you lesser than me,_" Wartortle said. He jumped off and walked away leaving the others. Blaziken got angry, while Eevee and Mucnhlax began playing in the snow. "_It's a Winter Wonderland!_" Eevee said, happily.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Jahan and Croconaw were in the food court of the Pokémon Center. While Croconaw was eating his food, Jahan remained in his seat, staring at the food in front of him. Croconaw tried shoving it in his face. "_Come on master_," Croconaw said, worriedly. "_Eat something!_"

Jahan remained quiet with a blank stare in his eyes.

May saw Jahan from across the room. He was looking very depressed. She was getting even more worried about him.

"Don't worry about him," said Drew, who was standing next to her. "Jahan isn't someone to cry over."

"What do you mean? His Pokémon was stolen from him. How could you and Harley not pity him?!?" May asked angrily.

"Because one, he has poked fun at us and treated us like dirt for a long time and two, every time anyone tries to help him, he gets in a bad mood and attacks people. Just forget it, May. Let it go."

"No! I won't! I'm going to help Jahan get back on his feet!" May said, proudly.

She got up from her seat, walked towards Jahan's table, and had a seat in front of him. "Hi again," she said. Jahan perked his head up and looked at her. "What is it now?" he asked, sounding annoyed.

"I just want to say that I'm sure Tyranitar is doing just fine," May said.

"Really? How do you know that?" asked Jahan. "Do you have contact with Team Galactic? Are you a Team Galactic member yourself? Tell them to give Tyranitar back to me!"

"Now hold on a minute," May said.

"No! Every minute, Team Galactic is doing who-knows-what to Tyranitar! Everyone's just standing around, continuing on with their daily routines, as if nothing happened!" shouted Jahan.

"Listen, I'm just trying to help you," May replied.

"Well, don't! I don't need anyone's help!"

Jahan began walking away, but May grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Will you just let me help you?!?" she asked, angrily.

Drew quickly bolted out of his seat once he saw Jahan's palm in the air. He grabbed his hand before he was about to slap May across the face. "I saw what you were going to do. Don't…you ever…put your hands on her…or else I'll strangle you…" Drew said, angrily.

"Oh sorry, I didn't know May was your girlfriend," Jahan said.

"She isn't. Nevertheless, she is someone I care deeply for. You, however, I have no sympathy."

"I don't have time…"

"No!" interrupted Drew. "Shut up and listen! If you really loved Tyranitar, YOU would be the one going after Team Galactic. But all I've seen you done is cry and attacked people and expect everyone else to do things for you. If that's all you're going to do than you're no better than May!"

Jahan just shoved him aside and walked outside. "That jerk…trying to slap a woman…" Drew muttered.

"Drew," said May.

"Yeah?"

"Umm…do you…do you…li…"

May couldn't finish her sentence. She walked by Drew and joined Jahan outside. "What?!?" Drew asked, angrily. "He was about to attack you! Hey, May! Come back here!"

"Why do you care if May goes off with some other guy?" asked Harley, suddenly coming up behind him.

"She's not going off with some other guy! She's going with Jahan! Why would she care so much about him even after everything he done to her?"

"Well, why would you care?" repeated Harley.

Drew just looked down at the ground. Harley tried to look at his face. Drew was blushing and he kept looking at the sides. Harley opened his mouth wide-open. "You like May, don't you?" he asked.

"I do not!"

"It's so simple! Why didn't I see it before?"

"Shut up."

"You had that look of jealousy in your eyes."

"Stop talking please."

"First, the ferry to New Bark Town…Jahan took credit for everything you did. But just the sole fact that you invited May is evidence enough."

"Harley, why are you still talking?"

"And then, there was the moment you just had right now. Oh this really is something precious!"

Drew decided to leave Harley and went upstairs. "_He doesn't know anything_," Drew thought to himself.

"That's right, Drew! Go run away from the truth! The truth runs faster than you!" Harley called out.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Back out in the forest, Wartortle, Blaziken, Munchlax, and Eevee were all waiting for May to arrive, hopefully with food. "_It's been almost four hours_," groaned Blaziken.

"_Getting…hungry…_" complained Munchlax.

"_I…haven't done…anything in long time…"_ added Eevee.

Wartortle, however, wasn't complaining. He had his back turned to his friends and his mouth moved as if he was chewing. "_What are you doing?_" Blaziken asked.

"_Nothing,_" Wartortle replied, frantically.

"_You selfish punk! You have food?!?_" Munchlax asked, angrily.

"_No I don't!_"

Blaziken lifted Wartortle off the ground and found a pile of apples and berries on the ground. "_What's this?!? You're hording all of the food to yourself?!?_" Blaziken asked, sternly.

"_Hey, I deserve this food! I found it! And I'm better than any of you anyway!"_

"_Again with this! You know, you have been really cocky ever since you evolved,_" Munchlax said.

"_Well, when you evolve, you're better than any other un-evolved Pokémon_," explained Wartortle. "_It's because of that is the reason why Blaziken and I are the headliners of May's team_."

"_That's not true!_" Blaziken replied. "_Sure, we're stronger than Munchlax and Eevee and Cyndaquil. But that doesn't make us better than them._"

"_Sure it does_," Wartortle said.

"_What makes you so sure?_" Eevee asked.

"_Munchlax's a fatty, Cyndaquil's sick and weak, and Eevee is small_," Wartortle said.

"_I wasn't as small as you when you were a Squirtle!_" protested Eevee.

"_But I'm not a Squirtle anymore! I am a Wartortle. I am more powerful than anyone else on the team!_"

Wartortle suddenly fell backwards as a fist connected with his face. "_Wow,_" Eevee said. Everyone turned around and saw Munchlax with his tiny fist out. "_You punched him?!?_" Blaziken asked, surprised.

"_Well, when you lie to me about food, I get focused enough to hit the vital spot,_" explained Munchlax. "_Now…I'm the most powerful Pokémon on the team."_

"_Actually…I am,_" corrected Blaziken.

"_Eh, whatever. Now let's eat some fruit!_"

Blaziken and Eevee watched as Munchlax began gulping down the fruit. "_Well…Wartortle was getting too cocky…_" Blaziken thought. Soon Blaziken and Eevee joined Munchlax. Wartortle remained unconscious, from hitting his head on the tree.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Jahan sat outside on the wooden floor of the Pokémon Center. He again was curled up in a ball, with a depressed look on his face. May quietly walked up behind Jahan and sat down beside him. Jahan sat up and saw her. "Oh…my…god…get a freaking clue!" Jahan shouted at her. "I don't want any help from a Coordinator like you!"

"Jahan, don't deny it," May replied. "You want help from somebody! And you want it from me, the only person who would even think about helping you."

"Oh shut up!" Jahan yelled at her. "Why must you get involved with me?!? You don't know anything about what I'm feeling!"

"You're right. I don't!" asserted May. "But I do know the signs of someone desperate for attention."

"Shut up!" Jahan shouted again.

"Jahan, I know that Tyranitar was stolen from you. But I don't think that's the reason why you're angry."

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"You're not angry because of Team Galactic. You're angry because you hate how the Coordinators managed to get our Pokémon back while you were the only one who's Pokémon was stolen."

"That's not true!"

"To you, it seems like the higher power is punishing you."

Jahan began taking very deep breaths until…he banged his head on the wall and broke down. May was surprised to see him crying. May reached out to pat his back but he suddenly turned around. His eyes were becoming swollen and were wet with tears. "Fine! You're right! I hate you! I hate Harley! And I hate Drew!" he shouted, loudly. "WHY SHOULD YOU KEEP YOUR POKÉMON WHEN MINE IS GETTING TORTURED?!?"

May continued staring at him while he kept crying. "Now I have another reason to hate Coordinators," Jahan muttered.

Suddenly, May snapped. She's has had enough. She lifted her arm and slapped Jahan across the face. Jahan fell to the floor. He started rubbing his cheek. "I thought you were trying to help me," Jahan said.

"I am…by knocking some sense! Darn it, Jahan! Don't you get it?" she asked, angrily. "Drew is right! All you do is blame on somebody else and attack people! You are seriously a mess, Jahan! I tried to help you, but you just push other people. You're afraid that if I ever got close to you, you would become closer to Coordinators. You're afraid, Jahan! You…are afraid!"

Jahan didn't answer. He just continued stare at her, surprised and confused. "Grrr…I don't have the patience to put with you! I have a rematch against Clair tomorrow and after that, I have a contest to prepare for!" she growled.

She violently slid the door open and walked inside the lobby. Jahan just shook his head, trying to make sense of what just happened. He turned to a second-story window. He could have sworn that he saw a green-haired Coordinator, smirking at him.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Blaziken, Eevee, Wartortle (A/N: now awake), and Munchlax were in the middle of the forest. It was late at night and the moon was beginning to rise. The four were quiet and the night was silent, save for the noise of a few Kricketune chirping. "_Ummm…I don't think May is coming,_" Eevee said.

"_I blame Munchlax,_" Wartortle remarked.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: Yeah, I was planning for May to actually get physically close to Jahan, but I think this was much better. Most of the stuff May was true, so in a way, she did somewhat help him.

Again, it's obvious whom the green-haired person was smirking down at Jahan. I know some people are complaining about the lack of Contestshipping, but with jealously brewing inside of Drew, can you say Drew VS Jahan? And plus, May still needs a traveling partner. Who should volunteer?

**PLUG: **If you are a fan of Crash Bandicoot, then you will love "Crash Bandicoot Goes to Washington", it's sort of has the Mind over Mutant humor. It's very funny, trust me.

**NEXT TIME…**

As May mentioned in this chapter, tomorrow is the long-awaited rematch between her and Blackthorn Gym Leader Clair. Wartortle's evolved, Cyndaquil's loyalty returned, and Munchlax's focus sharpened. But they're in for a surprise when they see Clair's souped-up Pokémon.

To everyone's surprise, Jahan begins to attack strangely. He refuses to talk to anyone, but he doesn't harass the Coordinators. Is he seeing the error of his ways, or is this an act?

Find out in the thrill-packed chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles."


	13. Rematch: May VS Clair! Part One

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

REVIEW REPLIES

**Arysd: **I thought that since Wartortle evolving would mean he would be stronger, I wanted to make him cocky and arrogant.

**ShadX – Dramione Fan: **I don't know. The two can't stand each other. I don't see how Contestshipping will grow faster…unless Drew gets jealous that is.

**Eternal Butterfly: **I haven't really decided yet on what Pokémon she was going to use for the Blackthorn City Contest. I've narrowed it down to Eevee or Wartortle.

**Vampire Koneko: **That would be a good idea…but don't forget. Everybody is everybody's enemy. However, one of those men will be traveling with May.

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (**Substitute**, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

**NOTE: **Like Cyndaquil, Munchlax was able to learn the move.

Cyndaquil (Ember, Smokescreen, **Sunny Day**, **Dig**)

**NOTE: **May and Cyndaquil did some last minute training and Cyndaquil managed to learn two new moves.)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_With Tyranitar stolen from him, Jahan becomes depressed and agitated. His anger rises to an all-time high as he attacks Harley and nearly slaps May. May, despite everything that has happened so far, wants to help Jahan and cure him from depression, but he just pushes her away. May wasn't determined to give up, even though Harley and Drew don't want her to help him._

_Meanwhile, May's Pokémon is training for the rematch battle against Clair. Munchlax works on his Focus Punch while Blaziken helps. Wartortle's cocky attitude, however, puts a severe strain on everybody. They all grow tired of him proclaiming that he's the headliner of May's team. Munchlax shuts him up with a well-deserved Focus Punch to the face._

_That night, May confronts Jahan one last time. This time, May accuses Jahan of being jealous of the Coordinators because they managed to keep their Pokémon. Jahan breaks down and admits that he's jealous of everybody. May slaps him, to everyone's surprise, and claims that he only hates Coordinators but he's afraid that he'll grow attached to them._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Blackthorn City Gym**

May and Blaziken stood outside the front of the gym, staring at its mighty appearance. "This is it Blaziken," May said. "This is the day that we win our Rising Badge."

"_You think so_?" Blaziken asked.

"All of my Pokémon have improved so much. I think this time we can take on Clair and defeat her Pokémon!"

"_Well, alright then!_" Blaziken shouted, happily.

The two stared at each other and nodded. "Let's go!" May and Blaziken then walked up to the doors of the gym. May and her Pokémon had been training for today's rematch for days now. They have made much progress since their last battle with Clair. That progress leads May to believe that her Pokémon will beat Clair's and she'll finally retrieve her Rising Badge.

Right when May was to go through the double doors, she heard a voice call out to her. "Wait up, May!"

May turned around and saw Drew and Harley running to her. "Drew? Harley? What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I wanted to see how much progress your Pokémon made. You've been training hard for this so I wanted to see it pay off," explained Drew.

"And I wanted to see you crushed by Clair's Dragon Pokémon," Harley added.

"Gee, you're very supportive," May replied, sarcastically.

"Well, seeing as how Jahan isn't around, I must fill his shoes," explained Harley.

"Jahan was acting weird last time I saw him," Drew said. "He had a blank stare and he didn't mock us or get angry at us or anything."

May suddenly remember what happened last night when she tried to cheer Jahan up. She ended slapping him in the face and calling him a coward. Drew just happened to see it happen from the second story. "But don't worry about Jahan, May," continued Drew. "Him not being here might help you win this time, so get in there and give it your best shot!"

May smiled and nodded at him. She turned around and she, Drew, Harley, and Blaziken entered the gym. Thankfully, there were no monks guarding the door this time.

Inside, Clair was training some new Dragon Pokémon. On the rocky battlefield, there was a Gabite and a Shelgon on the battlefield. They both had boulders placed in front of them. Clair stood in between the two. "Okay, both of you, I want you to hit the boulders as hard as you can!" commanded Clair.

May stood by as Shelgon used Skull Bash and Gabite used Take Down to launch themselves at the boulder. The boulders smashed to pieces, impressing everyone in the gym. May was shocked. Last time, they were just a Gible and a Bagon and they didn't even leave scratches. This time, they were even more powerful. "Oh no," May squeaked. She turned around and tried to leave but Clair saw her in the corner of her eyes. "Oh May…you have returned," Clair said.

"_Shoot!_" thought May. She turned around, hid her fear, and stood confidently in front of Clair.

"You want a rematch," assumed Clair.

"Yes," replied May. "Clair, I have made a lot of mistakes in the first battle. But I have improved…and so have my Pokémon. I think this time, we are ready to take you on again!"

"Hmmm…well then, as the gym leader of the Blackthorn City Gym, I accept your challenge!" Clair shouted, proudly.

"We'll be upstairs," Harley said. "Try not to lose too badly this time."

"Do this to shut Jahan up!" Drew said.

May just smiled as she took her place on the battlefield. All of the monks, Harley, and Drew sat up in the balconies. The monks looked around. "I see that one boy isn't here today," he said.

"Oh, you mean Jahan?" Harley asked. "Yeah, his Pokémon was stolen from him, so he became all depressed and everything."

"Pokémon stolen from him? It serves him right," the monk replied.

"I think so too," Harley said.

Clair and May stood opposite from each other on the battlefield. The battlefield was different from before in that now they were rocks and boulders on the field. The referee stood in between them. "The gym battle rematch between Clair of Blackthorn City and May from Petalburg City is about to commence. As with last time, both sides will use three Pokémon each. In addition, only the challenger can swap Pokémon at any time. The gym leader cannot. Let the battle begin!"

Clair took out a Poké Ball. "Alright, Shelgon! Let's show May how we've improved!" Clair threw the Poké Ball up in the air and a Shelgon popped out into the field. A shell made of bones protected it. Its legs and eyes were the only things visible.

**POKéDEX ENTRY: Shelgon**

**The Endurance Pokémon and the evolved form of Bagon**

**Its cells begins changing inside its armored body. The shell peels off as soon as it evolves.**

"That thing used to be Bagon?!?" May asked, surprised. "Bagon evolved?!?"

"What do you think gym leaders do when you're not around? We don't sit on our butts! We train hard and work to be stronger than before!" explained May.

May took a look at Bagon. "_Bagon used to feisty and strong. The shell looks like it's powerful and can withstand anything_."

May smirked as she took out a Poké Ball. "Get ready, Cyndaquil! Go!" May shouted. The Poké Ball opened up and Cyndaquil came out. Cyndaquil's back immediately erupted in flames. Clair was confused. "Cyndaquil, she doesn't obey you," she commented.

"Well, you would be surprised at much we bonded over the last few days," smirked May.

"Round One: Shelgon versus Cyndaquil…begin!" the referee shouted.

"Cyndaquil, start with Ember!" May shouted. Cyndaquil opened its mouth and blew a huge stream of fire towards Shelgon. "Shelgon, Protect now!" Clair shouted. Shelgon stood in place and hardened its body. The Ember heated its body up, but it did nothing to Shelgon. He just shook it off. "Well, she's listening to you," Clair remarked. "A promising beginning…but Shelgon is invincible to your attacks! Now Shelgon, use Zen Headbutt!"

Shelgon began running towards Cyndaquil. The front of its shell began glowing as it made contact with Cyndaquil. The impact caused Cyndaquil to roll backwards at May's feet. "Cyndaquil, no!" May shouted, worriedly.

Cyndaquil stumbled back onto her feet. "Shelgon may be a bit slower, but he has high defense. Nothing can get past it!" Clair said.

"We'll see about that!" replied May. "Cyndaquil, shake it off and use Ember again!"

Cyndaquil blew another huge stream of fire towards Shelgon. "Shelgon, use DragonBreath!" commanded Clair. Shelgon opened its mouth and blew a stream of…um…Dragon Breath at Cyndaquil's Ember. The two attacks met each other in the center of the battlefield. Both Pokémon added more to their attacks. The two attacks continued pushing each other back and forth.

Soon enough, the DragonBreath pushed Ember back until DragonBreath finally connected with Cyndaquil. Cyndaquil was pushed back towards May. "Oh no, Cyndaquil!" shouted May, worriedly.

Cyndaquil tumbled back towards May's feet. She tired getting back up, but the DragonBreath attack paralyzed Cyndaquil. "Oh no!" May shouted.

"Haha, I'll admit May, the progress you made with Cyndaquil is impressive, but it's still not enough to defeat my souped-up Dragon Pokémon."

"This is bad," Drew commented.

"At least May's Cyndaquil got in a few attacks this time," added Harley.

"Now Shelgon, finish Cyndaquil off with another Zen Headbutt!" Clair shouted. Shelgon's head began to glow brightly as it charged towards Cyndaquil. "Now Cyndaquil, use Smokescreen!" commanded May.

Cyndaquil shot her head up and unleashed a black cloud of smoke form her mouth. The black smoke clouded the field and blocked Shelgon's vision. Clair, the monks, Drew, and Harley began coughing violently.

Shelgon continued its Zen Headbutt attack, but ended up ramming into one of the boulders on the field. Shelgon's head suffered some pain, but he shook it off. The Smokescreen made it difficult for him to see Cyndaquil. "Now Cyndaquil, use Sunny Day!" May shouted.

No one can see Cyndaquil on the field, but a shining bright light broke through the glass roof and headed towards the sun. "Ha! Cyndaquil just gave away her position!" Clair shouted. "Shelgon, there! Use Dragon Claw!" Clair shouted.

Shelgon followed the spot from where Cyndaquil shot off the Sunny Day beam. Its razor-sharp claws glowed with a green hue. It jumped up and attacked. "Cyndaquil now use Dig!" May shouted.

Suddenly, Shelgon yelped. "Huh?" Clair asked. The smoke screen finally cleared through the broken glass roof. Everyone turned to the battlefield and saw that Shelgon got suck in a big hole! "What the?!?" Clair asked.

"Hey, where did Cyndaquil go?" Harley asked.

"Ah!" exclaimed Drew. "May and Cyndaquil's teamwork has really improved."

"Alright Cyndaquil! We got Shelgon right where we want him!" May shouted. "Now use Ember!"

Five seconds passed and Cyndaquil remained out of sight. Shelgon, along with everyone else, was confused. "_Where's that little fire rat?_" Shelgon asked. But then, he felt his stuck behind burn. It got hotter…and hotter…until Shelgon flew into the air, screaming. A huge stream of fire emerged from the hole. "Whoa!" May shouted, impressed.

Everyone from the viewing balcony began clapping. "Why couldn't Jahan be here?" asked Harley. "This is getting good."

Shelgon fell to the floor, his whole backside burned. Clair was shocked…and yet she was amazed. "Shelgon, are you alright?" asked Clair. Shelgon, though injured, got onto its feet, read to fight once again.

May turned to Cyndaquil. Though Sunny Day increased Cyndaquil's firepower, she still was paralyzed and couldn't move as fast as she wanted. May was concerned. "Cyndaquil, are you okay?" May asked.

"_I'm…I'm…_" breathed Cyndaquil. "_I'm sorry. I can't finish this._"

"It's okay Cyndaquil," whispered May. "I'll get Munchlax or Wartortle to finish Shelgon off."

"_I want…the last fight,_" Cyndaquil gasped.

"You're get it."

May took out Cyndaquil's Poké Ball and returned her to her Poké Ball. She then took out another Poké Ball. "Munchlax, go!" she shouted.

The Poké Ball opened up and Munchlax popped out, ready to fight. "Round Two: Shelgon versus Munchlax…begin!" the referee shouted.

"Munchlax, use Metronome!" commanded May. Munchlax's fingers glowed as it began powering up. Clair and May were waiting to see what happens. "_Metronome gives Munchlax any move at random. Now let's see what comes up,_" she thought.

Drew and Harley were also anxious to see what Munchlax had in store. "_Last time he used that move, he got Explosion,_" Drew said. "_Hopefully he'll get some powerful._"

Munchlax's fingers continued glowing…and then, he released blue glowing hearts from its body. "What in the world?" May asked.

"A heart…attack?" Harley asked.

"I don't get it," Drew commented. "What attack is that?"

"Silly girl," the monk muttered.

"Huh?" asked Drew.

"The move that Metronome just gave Munchlax is Attract, which makes the opposing Pokémon fall in love with Munchlax," the monk said.

The hearts began hitting Shelgon's head, but nothing was working. "_Huh?_" asked Munchlax. "_Hey, you're supposed to fall in love with me!_"

"_Hmm…maybe…but the problem with your attack is that it only works on female Pokémon. I'm a male,_" Shelgon said.

"_What?!?_" Munchlax asked.

"_Yeah, I'm a guy. Me falling in love with you is impossible,_" continued Shelgon.

For a moment, everything was quiet between the two Pokémon and May. "Umm…wow…that was awkward," coughed May, nervously.

"_Easy for you to say! I was the one who used the attack_," protested Munchlax.

"Alright Shelgon, use DragonBreath now!" Clair shouted.

Shelgon opened his mouth and let out a stream of breath. "_Ah!_" Munchlax shouted. He dove behind a boulder on the battlefield to avoid Shelgon's attack. "_Come back here, fatty!_" Shelgon shouted.

"_I'm not fat! I just eat a lot!_" protested Munchlax.

"Munchlax, use Solarbeam now!" May shouted.

Munchlax came out from its hiding spot and stepped behind Shelgon. "_Huh?_" Shelgon asked, partially turning around. Munchlax opened its mouth wide open and he began to absorb the sunlight. "Tsk, tsk. May, you were doing well! Do you remember what I told you last time? You need to stop using moves that take up time to charge up."

May just smirked. "Shelgon, hurry and use Zen Headbutt!" Clair shouted. Shelgon's head began to glow, but suddenly Munchlax unleashed a powerful beam of light from its mouth. Shelgon took the attack and rolled backwards towards Clair's feet. "Aw!" gasped Clair. "But how? Solarbeam takes a while to charge up."

"Not when the sun is bright," added May.

"Huh?" asked Clair.

"Clair, look up!" a monk shouted.

Clair looked through the broken glass roof. She shielded her eyes from the intense sunlight. "Cyndaquil's Sunny Day!" exclaimed Clair. "_I forgot all about that! Because of Sunny Day, Munchlax does need to take time to use Solarbeam. He can use it instantly!_"

"That girl really took Clair's advice to heart," the monk said. "I'm quite impressed."

"I still don't like her," added Harley. "But man, I wish Jahan was here to see this!"

"Alright May!" cheered Drew.

Shelgon was struggling to get on its feet. "Shelgon, hang in there!" Clair shouted. Shelgon shook its head and tail and was ready to fight once again. "Shelgon, use Zen Headbutt!" commanded Clair.

"Munchlax, finish Shelgon off with Focus Punch!" May shouted.

Shelgon head began to glow, but it staggered around, having difficulty focusing his power to his head. Munchlax, however, had no problem focusing his energy. He clenched his fist and delivered a big punch to Shelgon's head!

The punch was so powerful that Shelgon again fumbled backwards towards Clair. However, this time, it was knocked out and down for the count. The referee lifted his flag up. "Shelgon is unable to continue battling!" he shouted. "The winner of this round: Munchlax!"

"Alright!" May shouted, happily.

"Way to go!" Drew shouted, happily.

Clair took out Shelgon's Poké Ball and returned him back inside. "Shelgon, you showed May that you were a formidable opponent," murmured Clair. She turned back to May. "So far May, I am impressed with the way you improved since our last bout," she commented.

"Thank you, Clair," replied May.

"Your relationship with Cyndaquil has greatly improved and your Pokémon battle skills and strategy have gotten much better. However, that does not mean you have won the battle just yet. Gible has improved as well…"

Clair then took out another Poké Ball. "Gible…I'm sorry," she said. "I meant to say…Gabite!" She threw the Poké Ball in the air. It opened up and a four-foot tall Gabite towered over Munchlax. Its growth impressed everyone…all except May and Munchlax. They were frightened. "_I'm SO not fighting that behemoth!_" cried Munchlax. "_I want out! Beside, my fist hurts from punching Shelgon's rock shield._"

May turned back to the field. Munchlax continuously rubbed his fist. After a shot to the bone shield of Shelgon, it must be in pain. She took out Munchlax's Poké Ball and returned him to the Poké Ball. As much as she hates to admit it, she was afraid. None of her Pokémon could really take on the mighty Gabite. Well…actually there is one. He is cocky, but since Gabite is part-Dragon and part-Ground, maybe his attacks would be effective.

May took out a Poké Ball and threw it in the air. "Go, Wartortle!" she shouted. The Poké Ball opened up and Wartortle came out. "_Alright May, let me handle this battle!_" Wartortle said, arrogantly. "_These dragon freaks are nothing!_"

Wartortle looked up and saw Gabite standing over him. "_Ohhh…_" he murmured. "_Oh wow…Clair's not messing around is she? She got the big guns out._"

"What are you going to do now, tough guy?" May asked.

"_Fight him, of course!_" answered Wartortle. "_My Ice Beam will defeat him!_"

"_Try it, squirt!_" taunted Gabite.

"Come on, Wartortle!" Drew cheered. "Don't get cocky!"

Suddenly, a tall, black-haired person walked up to Drew and Harley. He had a Croconaw by his side. "So, how's May doing?" he asked.

Drew and Harley turned their attention to the person. They were a bit surprised by his appearance. "So Jahan…you decided to show up," Harley said.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: Yeah, I would have made this longer, but I thought cutting it halfway would be more suspenseful. I originally didn't want to bring Jahan in at the end, but something in my brain told me Jahan's appearance would be good for the next chapter.

Good news, now that I've graduated from high school, I have tons of time during the summer to update this story along with "DP Love", "Twisted Metal: Anime Ambush" and "Crash Bandicoot Goes to Washington"!

**NEXT TIME…**

Wartortle keeps running his mouth on how he is the best on May's Pokémon team. Well, he now has a chance to prove his worth against the mighty Gabite. Will he live up to what he says, or will he have to keep his mouth shut forever?

And why all of a sudden does Jahan suddenly appear? Is he here to criticize May? Or maybe he's still feeling the effects of what May told him last night.

All of this and more in the next action-packed chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles".


	14. Rematch: May VS Clair! Part Two

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

REVIEW REPLIES

**Arysd: **Jahan is very unpredictable, who knows what he will do.

**CrazyFanGurl101: **Exactly! I like to take the time to make sure that every character and event is realistic. I'm glad that makes it better than most other ContestShipping fanfics.

**Katy Bella: **If you look at CrazyFanGurl101's review, she made everything clear as a crystal. She expresses my opinions and she understands my writing style. Just give me a few more chapters and then I'll jump into the CS.

**ShadX – Dramione Fan: **Yes, Gabite will evolve during the gym battle…or maybe not. Hell, I don't know myself. Read the chapter and find out for yourself!

**Eternal Butterfly: **Thank you for your review, and I am a boy. I thought it was clear but I guess not.

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Cyndaquil (Ember, Smokescreen, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_After much training, May enters the Blackthorn City Gym, ready for her rematch battle against Clair. Although, much to her dismay, all of Clair's Pokémon have so far evolved into their second stage form. Despite that, May and Clair battle as Harley and Drew watch from the balconies above._

_The first round is Clair's Shelgon versus May's Cyndaquil. True to her word, Cyndaquil has begun to obey May's every commanded, but none of her attacks can penetrate Shelgon's rock-hard shell. However, Cyndaquil managed to power herself up using a new move she learned called Sunny Day. She managed to weaken Shelgon with powered-up fire attacks, but she couldn't finish._

_May called Cyndaquil back and replaced her with Munchlax. At first, Munchlax seems weak, but thanks to Cyndaquil, his SolarBeam and Focus Punch was able to take out Shelgon and finish him._

_Clair sends out her next Pokémon, the mega-powerful Gabite. Munchlax chickens out, forcing May to switch him out with the ever-arrogant Wartortle._

_Just before the battle can go on, Jahan then enters the room._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Blackthorn City Gym**

Suddenly, a tall, black-haired person walked up to Drew and Harley. He had a Croconaw by his side. "So, how's May doing?" he and Harley turned their attention to the person. They were a bit surprised by his appearance. "So Jahan…you decided to show up," Harley said.

Jahan said nothing. He continued to look at Wartortle and then saw how Gabite towers over him. "May is so screwed," he said solemnly.

"Don't be so sure," Drew replied. "So far, her Cyndaquil and Munchlax were able to take out Shelgon."

"Hmph," scoffed Jahan. He placed his bags down on the ground and sat down to watch the battle.

"Round Three: Gabite versus Wartortle…begin!" the referee shouted.

"Gabite, start with Slash!" Clair shouted.

Gabite's claws glowed brightly as he lunged towards Wartortle. Wartortle quickly got out of the way, making his attack miss. "_Haha! You missed, big guy!_" taunted Wartortle.

"Nice one!" May complimented. "Now, use Aqua Tail!"

Wartortle stuck his tail out and a spiral of water emerged and spun round his tail. Wartortle ran towards Gabite and slammed his tail against his head, stunning him for a bit. "Alright!" shouted Drew.

"I guess Wartortle can live up to his hype," commented Harley.

"Now Wartortle, use Ice Beam!" May shouted.

Wartortle shot out a beam of ice towards a stunned Gabite. Everyone was waiting for it to connect, but right before Gabite was hit, the Ice Beam melted before everyone's eyes! "Huh? What happened?" asked May, surprised.

"_Hey, what gives?_" Wartortle asked, angrily. "_How did the Ice Beam melt?_"

"May, look up!" Drew shouted.

May looked up and immediately shielded her eyes from the bright sunlight. Then she remembered. "Oh shoot! Cyndaquil's Sunny Day is still in effect!" May shouted. "It powers up fire-type attacks, but it weakens ice-type attacks!" (A/N: Technically, it doesn't, but I added it anyway for dramatic effect).

"_Curse you, Cyndaquil!_" Wartortle shouted, pumping his fist in the sky.

"Gabite, hurry and use Dig!" shouted Clair. Gabite then turned upside-down and began to dig into the battlefield. "_What? Hey, come on, you little Dragon chicken! Come out and fight me!_" Wartortle shouted.

"Gabite, use Slash now!" Clair shouted.

Suddenly, the ground began shaking. "_Huh?_" asked Wartortle. The ground began to cave under his feet. Gabite flew up form the ground and struck Wartortle across the face with sharp glowing claws. Both Gabite and Wartortle flew into the air. "Oh no!" May shouted.

"I told you she was screwed," Jahan said.

"Maybe I spoke too soon about Wartortle," Harley added.

"Now Gabite, use Dragon Rush now!" Clair shouted.

The two were still hovering in the air when Gabite began to glow a bright blue. He charged at Wartortle and slammed him into the ground, creating a huge crater into the rocky battlefield. "Oh my!" Drew shouted.

"Wow…that was some attack," Jahan commented.

May looked up after the dust cleared. Both Gabite and Wartortle were out cold. "Oh no, Wartortle!" May shouted, worriedly. Gabite began to stumble back on its feet as did Wartortle. "Gabite, use Slash!" Clair shouted.

Wartortle just got on its feet until Gabite slashed him across the face, knocking him back down on the ground. "Hang in there, Wartortle!" May shouted.

"Gabite, now use Dragon Rush again!" Clair demanded.

Gabite jumped high in the air, glowed a bright blue, and flew towards Wartortle. Wartortle quickly rolled out of the way. Gabite slammed into the ground, head first. "Alright!" Harley cheered.

"Come on, May!" Drew cheered.

"Oh be quiet," Jahan murmured. Drew and Harley glared at him. "It's nothing against May, your cheering is just really annoying," he explained.

"It's true," the monk added.

"Now Wartortle…" May looked up at the sun, this time it wasn't as bright as before. Sunn Day had worn off. "Now's your chance. Hurry and use Ice Beam!" May shouted.

Gabite was still stunned by his missed attack. Wartortle turned around and launched a beam of ice from its mouth towards Gabite. The attack connected and Gabite was frozen in a block of ice. "No!" Clair shouted.

"_Yes!_" thought Drew.

"_Damn,_" thought Jahan.

"Now Wartortle, use Surf!" May called out.

Wartortle pointed down and unleashed a lot of water from his mouth, until the whole gym was flooded with water up to May's hips. A huge tidal wave then emerged with Wartortle riding on top. "_Surf's up, Gabite!_" shouted Wartortle. Clair was amazed at the size of the wave. The wave then crashed down, taking the frozen Gabite with him. The ice broke off Gabite once he hit the wall.

The water was soon drained. May and Clair were drenched and their clothes soaked to the bones. Clair spat some water from its mouth. Wartortle glided on his stomach smoothly while Gabite landed hard on its stomach. Wartortle looked at him in the face. Gabite's eyes were shut and its breathing was raspy.

"_Take that, dragon!_" taunted Wartortle. He turned to May. "_He's finished! Now who's the best Pokémon on your team?_"

While Wartortle was prancing around, Gabite was slowly coming to his senses and was getting back on his feet. Wartortle didn't notice this until…

"Gabite, use Dragon Rush!" Clair shouted.

Gabite flew high into the air and he began to glow a bright blue. Wartortle turned around and Gabite tackled Wartortle into the ground, creating another crater into the battlefield. "Wartortle!" shouted May.

"_Yes!_" Jahan said in his mind.

Gabite got up and dusted himself off. Wartortle lay unconscious in the crater. May reached into her pocket and took out Wartortle's Poké Ball. "Wartortle, return!" May shouted. The red beam came out, but Wartortle rolled enough to avoid its trajectory. "Wartortle, what are you doing?" May asked.

"_I'm not a quitter like Cyndaquil_," Wartortle gasped, as he struggled to get back on his feet. "_I'm going to finish Gabite off!_"

Wartortle then got back on his feet. He was feeling a lot of pain from his face, but he was ready to fight again. "Come on, Wartortle!" cheered Drew.

"Shut…up…Drew," scowled Jahan.

"Hey, why don't you quit being a spoiled baby?" asked Drew, angrily.

"Why don't you two sit opposite from each other and shut up before I lay smack-down on both of you," the monk threatened.

"Gabite, use Dragon Pulse!" Clair shouted.

Gabite opened its mouth and released a ball of energy from its mouth. Wartortle saw it coming, but he struggled to move out of the way. May didn't want to see him be knocked out, but there was no sense in talking Wartortle out of it. "Wartortle, use Water Gun to roll out of the way!" she shouted.

Wartortle turned to his side and used Water Gun to propel himself into the giant hole that Gabite dug up earlier, making Dragon Pulse miss. "_Come back, coward!_" Gabite shouted, as he stumbled towards the hole. He peered inside, trying to lure him out. "Gabite, use Dragon Pulse and finish him!" Clair shouted.

Gabite opened its mouth and shot out another energy ball into the hole creating an explosion big enough to create smoke. "Wartortle, no!" May shouted.

The thick smoke billowed from the hole. Gabite continued to look inside for his opponent.

Then…

"Surprise!" Wartortle shouted, as he suddenly leaped out from his hiding place and latched himself onto Gabite's face. Gabite stumbled around, blind as a Zubat with Wartortle covering his face. "_Get off my face!_" Gabite shouted.

"_Never!_" Wartortle shouted back.

Soon enough, Gabite stumbled over one of the rocks on the battlefield, making him fall on his back. Wartortle leaped off as soon as he was about to fall. Gabite landed on his back, unable to get up. Wartortle was high up in the air. "Wartortle, use the Ice Beam/Aqua Tail combo!" May shouted.

"The what?" Clair asked.

Wartortle, still hovering in the air, shot a beam of ice towards the fallen Gabite, effectively freezing him in a block of ice. "No!" Clair shouted. As Wartortle was falling, his tail spiraled round and round until water began emerging from it. Then, once he was close to Gabite, he used Aqua Tail to break through the ice and attack Gabite. Ice shards flew everywhere as Wartortle's tail broke through and knocked Gabite unconscious.

Once everything was clear again, Wartortle breathed heavily as he looked at the unconscious Gabite.

The referee shook his head. "Gabite is unable to battle! The winner of this round: Wartortle!" shouted the referee.

"_That's what I'm talking about!_" boasted Wartortle. "_K-O baby!_"

"I guess that Wartortle doesn't blow smoke after all," commented May.

"_Of course I don't blow smoke! I blow water!_" Wartortle replied.

Clair returned Gabite into its Poké Ball. "To think that a small Pokémon like Wartortle could defeat the behemoth Gabite…" Clair murmured. She looked up at May and smiled. "May, outstanding work! Clearly, you have done your homework. Your Pokémon and battle strategy have improved drastically."

"Thank you," May said.

"_Why are you complementing her?_" Jahan asked in his head. "_How is May's Pokémon so strong? All she did was just some basic training for a week._"

"Alright May!" Drew shouted, happily.

May turned to head and saw Drew and Harley cheering for her. However, she also got her first glimpse of Jahan. "_Jahan? What's he doing here?_" May asked herself.

Clair took out another Poké Ball. "Get ready May! This is my star Pokémon! Shelgon may be a stone wall and Gabite a mighty giant of power, but my final Pokémon is all offense!" boasted Clair. She threw the Poké Ball in the air. "Dragonair, this is your bout!" Clair shouted.

The Poké Ball opened up and Dragonair hopped out onto the stage. She was a long and slender snake-like Pokémon with a horn on its forehead. She looked very majestic. "Wow…she's so pretty," commented May.

**POKéDEX ENTRY: Dragonair**

**Dragon Pokémon and the evolved form of Dragonair**

**Dragonair stores an enormous amount of energy inside its body. ****It is said to alter weather conditions in its vicinity by discharging energy from the crystals on its neck and tail.**

"_I can take it on!_" Wartortle boasted. He winced at the pain he suffered from the last battle. Gabite scratched it up pretty good with its Slash and Slash attacks. "Wartortle, are you sure you can handle another Dragon Pokémon?" May asked, worriedly.

"_Are you kidding? Gabite was twice Dragonair's size and I knocked it out with ease._"

"Round Four: Dragonair versus Wartortle…begin!" the referee shouted.

"Wartortle, use Aqua Tail now!" May shouted.

Wartortle's tail spun round and round until water began emerging. Unfortunately, Wartortle was having trouble storing the energy needed for the attack. Wartortle lunged at Dragonair but she quickly slithered out of harm's way. Wartortle missed. "Dragonair, use Dragon Rage!" Clair shouted.

A ball of energy formed in Dragonair's mouth. She shot it out towards Wartortle. Wartortle fell on his back, but he quickly got back on his feet. "Wartortle, use Ice Beam!" May shouted. Wartortle shot a very weak beam of ice towards Dragonair. "_Pathetic,_" taunted Dragonair.

"Dragonair, finish him with Twister!" Clair shouted.

The orb on Dragonair's tail glowed and with one fling of her tail, a giant twister appeared in the middle of the battlefield. The strong wind picked Wartortle up and flung him around the room. May, Clair, and everyone else in the gym covered their eyes from the flying debris.

Wartortle spun around the gym, hitting his head on the exit signs, the walls, the balconies, and the rocks on the battlefields. He screamed the whole way through until the wind began to die down. Wartortle began flying towards May. Thankfully, May caught him, but he suffered a great head injury. "Wartortle, are you okay?" May asked.

"_I…see many…Pidgey…flying…_" groaned Wartortle.

"Wartortle is unable to continue battling," proclaimed the referee. The winner of this round: Dragonair!"

"Wow…beaten within a minute," Harley said.

"_I can say something about May losing because she's a Coordinator…but I won't_," Jahan thought.

Wartortle continued to moan in pain as May returned him to his Poké Ball. May continued looking at Dragonair. "Hmmm…which Pokémon should I use now?" she asked herself. "I still have Munchlax and Cyndaquil left. Munchlax's hand looked bad when he used Focus Punch on Shelgon earlier. I doubt he wants to take on Dragonair."

She took out a Poké Ball. "Hopefully, she's healed up by now," May muttered. She threw the Poké Ball up in the air. "Cyndaquil, finish her off!" she shouted. The Poké Ball opened up and out came Cyndaquil, feisty and ready to go. The fire erupted on her back. Cyndaquil looked at her opponent. "_She doesn't look too tough,_" Cyndaquil boasted.

"_That's what your friend Wartortle said,_" Dragonair replied. "_And he's hurting inside his Poké Ball right now._"

"_I'm not as weak as he is._"

"Round Five: Dragonair versus Cyndaquil! Begin!" the referee shouted.

"Dragonair, use Dragon Rage!" Clair shouted. Dragonair opened its mouth and a ball of energy fired towards Cyndaquil. "Cyndaquil, dodge and use Ember!" May shouted.

Cyndaquil rolled out of the way, making Dragonair miss her attack. She then blew a huge stream of fire towards Dragonair. Once the fire cleared, Dragonair was unharmed. "Huh?" May asked.

"_I didn't feel a thing!_" taunted Dragonair.

"_What?_" Cyndaquil asked, surprised.

"Um, Cyndaquil, use Ember again! Give it all you got!" May shouted.

Cyndaquil took a deep breath and breathed a giant stream of fire towards Dragonair. Dragonair was engulfed in fire. "Whoa!" the spectators said, amazed.

The fire soon died down…and Dragonair remained unscathed. "What?" asked May.

"_Felt a bit of heat, but it's nothing special!_" taunted Dragonair.

"Dragonair, use Iron Tail!" Clair shouted.

Dragonair's tail glowed brightly as it whipped Cyndaquil across the face several times. "Oh no, Cyndaquil!" May shouted.

Dragonair continued whipping Cyndaquil around the battlefield. Soon enough, Cyndaquil had several scratches across her face. "She's finished," commented Jahan.

"I don't think," Drew said.

"Man, you really have the hots for her, don't you?" asked Jahan.

"What?" Drew asked, angrily.

"Harley told me last night through the door," mentioned Jahan.

"Harley, that's not true!" shouted Drew.

"You're blushing right now," taunted Harley.

"I am NOT!" Drew shouted.

May looked up at the balcony. She saw Drew reaching over and trying to wrap his hands around Harley's throat. The monks were trying to stop Drew from killing Harley. "What are they arguing about?" asked May. Then, she finally saw Jahan, sitting on the balcony with an angry expression on his face. May was shocked. "What the heck is he doing here?" asked May. "Is he starting trouble again?"

"Now Dragonair, use Dragon Rage!" Clair shouted.

May suddenly snapped back to the battle when Dragonair shot out a ball of energy towards Cyndaquil. Cyndaquil flew back into one of the rocks. "Cyndaquil!" May shouted.

"You shouldn't be worried about the boys up in the balconies," Clair said to her. "Now Dragonair, use Hyper Beam!"

Dragonair gathered up as much energy as she can in her mouth. Cyndaquil struggled to get away, but it was no good. Dragonair then unleashed a bright beam of light towards Cyndaquil, forcing her back into the gym walls. "Whoa!" shouted May.

"That was some attack," commented Harley.

Soon enough, the beam died down. Dragonair slumped down tired and exhausted. "Luckily, for you, Dragonair has to rest after using Hyper Beam," added Clair.

May looked at Cyndaquil. She looked unconscious and hurt. "Cyndaquil, are you okay?" May asked. She didn't get an answer. The referee took a quick glance at Cyndaquil. "Cyndaquil is…"

"Hold on!" Drew shouted.

Everyone turned to Drew. "Don't count Cyndaquil out, yet!" shouted Drew.

"What are you talking?" Jahan asked. "Cyndaquil's done and over!"

"No she's not! I know she can beat Dragonair!"

Right when the referee was about to say something, Cyndaquil began to murmur quietly. Everyone watched as she struggled to get back on her feet. "_Oh come on!_" gasped Dragonair. "_That Hyper Beam should have finished her_!"

Finally Cyndaquil made it back onto her stubby feet. "_Don't…count me out…yet,_" she wheezed.

"Cyndaquil, you look terrible," May said, worried. "Maybe you should come back and let Munchlax finish Dragonair."

"_No! I'm going to finish her off myself! Just give me the command!_"

May was still a bit anxious about letting Cyndaquil continue battling, but she had faith that she would finish the battle. May looked at Dragonair, who was still exhausted from using Hyper Beam. She then had an idea.

"I know!" May shouted. "Cyndaquil, use Smokescreen!"

Cyndaquil opened its mouth and breathed out a thick black layer of smoke that clouded the field and Dragonair's vision. "Dragonair, blow the smoke away with Twister!" Dragonair's tail glowed brightly. She waved her tail, creating a much smaller Twister than before. The Twister cleared the smoke, but Cyndaquil was nowhere to be found. "_Where did she go?_" Clair asked, in her head. "_Cyndaquil must be hiding behind one of the boulders on the field._" Then, she had an idea. "Hiding from Dragonair is useless," Clair said to May. "Dragonair, use Iron Tail to break the rocks!"

Dragonair's tail began glowing brightly. It lunged towards one of the boulders and broke it to smithereens. Unfortunately, Cyndaquil wasn't there. "_Where is she?_" Dragonair asked. She then used Iron Tail on another rock. There was no Cyndaquil there. Dragonair was beginning to get frustrated. "_Where are you?_" asked Dragonair, angrily.

"_Over here, loser!_" shouted a voice.

Dragonair turned her head and saw Cyndaquil jumping out from her hiding place behind one of the rocks. "_I got you now!_" Dragonair shouted.

"That was a big mistake," commented Clair. "Dragonair, finish her off with Hyper Beam!"

Dragonair gathered up all of the energy in her mouth and shot out another beam of light towards the boulder where Cyndaquil was hiding. "Cyndaquil, use Dig!" May shouted.

At the moment when the Hyper Beam was about to hit, Cyndaquil dug into the ground, narrowly avoiding the attack. Even though Hyper Beam missed, Dragonair felt exhausted again.

"Wow…that was clever," the monk said. "Now that Dragonair is tired again, Cyndaquil has a window of opportunity to attack now."

Dragonair panted heavily as it saw the hole Cyndaquil dug (A/N: There are now quite a few holes on the battlefield now). Dragonair, use Iron Tail and fish out Cyndaquil!" Clair shouted.

Dragonair did her best to retain energy. Her tail glowed brightly as she began "stabbing" the ground with Iron Tail, leaving little holes. "_Cyndaquil has to be in there somewhe…_"

Dragonair was interrupted when she felt something grab onto her tail. She tried pulling it back up, but something do below was keeping her pinned down. "_Cyndaquil!_" Dragonair shouted. "_I got you now!_"

She dove through the ground and began fighting with Cyndaquil underground. May and Clair had no idea what was happening. "_So it was you!"_

"_I got you!"_

"_No you don't! Take that!"_

The sounds of fighting could be heard. "Wow…this is stupid," Jahan commented.

"_Ow!"_

"_Take that!"_

After a moment of fighting underground, a spiraling Twister of Fire erupted from the ground. May, Clair, and everyone else covered their eyes as the intense humidity from the Twister.

When the fire died down, Cyndaquil and Dragonair appeared on the ground, burned badly. The two were unconscious. The referee raised both of his flags. "Both Cyndaquil and Dragonair are unable to continue battling. Since May has a Pokémon left and Gym Leader Clair doesn't, the winner of this battle: May from Petalburg City!"

"Alright!" Drew shouted.

"Yes!" Harley shouted. Harley turned to Jahan. "In your face! Coordinators can beat gym leaders!"

"That was a fluke!" Jahan shouted, angrily. "Do over! DO OVER!"

"I…I won?" May asked. "I WON! WE DID IT!"

May ran to the battlefield to her fallen Cyndaquil and hugged her tightly. "Cyndaquil, thank you! We won!" she said, happily.

"_We…we won?_" Cyndaquil asked, weakly.

Clair was at a loss for words. It was bad enough that she lost, but the way she did was unthinkable. "I can't…believe this," she muttered to herself. "This is not how I wanted to lose. But I do not blame myself…or my dragons."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Everyone was outside. The sun was beginning to set. A line of monks barricaded the gym entrance. Clair and May stood in the center of them. Harley and Drew were nearby. Jahan had already gone back to the Pokémon Center.

Munchlax (his hand bandaged), Cyndaquil, and Wartortle stood by May, facing Shelgon, Dragonair, and Gabite respectively. "_You have one rock-hard shield sir!_" Munchlax said to Shelgon. Shelgon stood there glaring at him.

Wartortle looked up at Gabite. "_I hope to battle you again someday, Gabite! Maybe next time, you'll actually put up a fight,_" he taunted. Gabite just shrugged him off.

Cyndaquil was worried about Shelgon and Gabite. "_Don't take it personally,_" Dragonair said. "_They're just sore losers. But Cyndaquil…that was the hardest I ever had to fight._"

"_But once we fully evolved, we'll put on a better show for everyone!_" Cyndaquil said, proudly.

"_I can't wait!_" Dragonair replied.

Clair had a beautifully carved wooden box in her hands. "May, although I wasn't pleased with how it turned out, the battle I had was one of the best gym battles I have had against a newcomer," Clair said. "May, the one thing I like about you is how much you improved since the first battle. You and your Pokémon unleashed so many surprises. You are very deserving with this."

Clair opened up the wooden box. Inside was a black metal badge, which was shaped to resemble a dragon's face. She picked it up and handed it to May. "May, as the leader of Blackthorn City Gym, it is my honor to reward you with the official Rising Badge!" she exclaimed, proudly.

Harley, Drew, May's Pokémon and the monks clapped and applauded for her. A tear of joy escaped from her left eye. "Alright! I won a Rising Badge!" she shouted, happily.

"_I won that for her,_" boasted Wartortle. "_That was all me!_"

"_You?_" Munchlax asked, angrily. "_I helped too!_"

"_And me too!_" protested Cyndaquil.

"_You! You didn't even win your battle!_" Wartortle said.

"_It was a tie, you idiot!_" Cyndaquil shouted, angrily.

"_That's even worse than losing!_" Wartortle replied, boastfully.

"_Yeah, but unlike you…_" Cyndaquil's back then erupted into fire. "_I still have some energy to take you on!_"

"_Bring it on! Let's do this!_" Wartortle said.

"_Knock it off, you two!_" Munchlax shouted.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After saying their goodbyes, Drew, Harley, and May walked back to the Pokémon Center. May was still staring at her gym badge. "Oh wow…I still can't believe it," she said. "I actually won a gym battle."

"All I'm happy about is that Jahan can shut up," Harley said.

"Though I doubt he will," Drew replied.

"Hey Drew," May said, butting in.

Drew turned to her. "What is it?" he asked.

"Thank you. If it wasn't for your cheering, I probably wouldn't have won the battle," May said.

"Oh…well…you're welcome," Drew said, blushing a little bit. "I just didn't want to see you lose. I saw how hard you've been working, so I didn't want to let it go to waste."

"Oh…it's that roman...OW!"

Harley was interrupted when Drew kicked him in the knees. "Shut up!" Drew scowled through his teeth.

"Well May, the gym battle is done and over with, but now you got the Blackthorn City Contest to think about," Harley said, rubbing his knee.

"The contest?" May asked. Suddenly, she remembered. "Oh man! I totally forget about the contest!"

"Not surprising," Drew said. "You've been so wrapped up with the gym battle. I bet you don't even know what you're going to do for the contest…"

Drew suddenly stopped talking when the trio reached the Pokémon Center, where Jahan was hanging out by the front door. Harley and Drew got upset, but May simply stared at him. The memory of what happened last night still rings in her head.

_**FLASHBACK…**_

_Jahan began taking very deep breaths until…he banged his head on the wall and broke down. May was surprised to see him crying. May reached out to pat his back but he suddenly turned around. His eyes were becoming swollen and were wet with tears. "Fine! You're right! I hate you! I hate Harley! And I hate Drew!" he shouted, loudly. "WHY SHOULD YOU KEEP YOUR POKÉMON WHEN MINE IS GETTING TORTURED?"_

_May continued staring at him while he kept crying. "Now I have another reason to hate Coordinators," Jahan muttered._

_Suddenly, May snapped. She's has had enough. She lifted her arm and slapped Jahan across the face. Jahan fell to the floor. He started rubbing his cheek. "I thought you were trying to help me," Jahan said._

"_I am…by knocking some sense! Darn it, Jahan! Don't you get it?" she asked, angrily. "Drew is right! All you do is blame on somebody else and attack people! You are seriously a mess, Jahan! I tried to help you, but you just push other people. You're afraid that if I ever got close to you, you would become closer to Coordinators. You're afraid, Jahan! You…are afraid!"_

_Jahan didn't answer. He just continued stare at her, surprised and confused. "Grrr…I don't have the patience to put with you! I have a rematch against Clair tomorrow and after that, I have a contest to prepare for!" she growled._

_She violently slid the door open and walked inside the lobby. Jahan just shook his head, trying to make sense of what just happened. _

_**END OF FLASHBACK…**_

"Hi Jahan," she said.

Jahan said nothing to her. He grabbed his luggage and hoisted it over his shoulder. "I saw your gym battle today," he murmured, quietly. "If that win wasn't a sham, I don't know what is!"

"Hey, May won the…"

"Shut up!" Jahan shouted. "This is between me and her."

Jahan got closer to May's face, worrying her a little bit. "I don't appreciate you slapping me last night, but you are right on one thing. I am afraid, but not of Coordinators. I was afraid that I wouldn't find Tyranitar. I'm going to continue my journey. Hopefully I'll find Team Galactic and take Tyranitar back!" He pointed a finger at May. "And if you, or Drew, or Harley ever get in my win, you will all regret it!"

Jahan then grabbed his things and began walking towards Mahogany Town, the next city on his journey. He left May and Drew stunned. Jahan continued walking down the dark dirt path. "You don't scare me!" Harley shouted back.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: I felt that the way the gym battle ended didn't meet my expectations. I thought it was a bit rushed. Either way, it's done and over with. Now we got the contest, which I'll probably just speed through it a little bit for several reasons, because I REALLY want to get out of Blackthorn City and I never was interested in contests. But it will still have good quality.

**NEXT TIME…**

After finally retrieving her Rising Badge, May now shifts her focus from battling to coordinating. Eevee, after being gone for so many chapters, finally has a chance to shine in the Blackthorn City.

But she still has Drew and Harley to worry about. Drew's Roselia and Harley's Cacturne provice some challenge to Eevee.

Will Eevee be able to come out on top of the Blackthorn City Contest? All of this and more in the next exciting chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"!


	15. May's First Johto Contest! Part One

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

REVIEW REPLIES

**SwiftstarOfTheSingingWind:** The Jahan/Harley moments are always funny. Though, I don't know that's really something a monk would say, but whatever. Can't change the past now.

**PerlaNemesis: **I'm glad you like the story, but I'm just going to rush through the contest. My reasons will be explained later.

**: **Well, let me put it this way. In "Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl", May's Eevee evolved into a Glaceon. But for Eevee to involve into Glaceon, she needs to be near the Icy Rock…which is in Sinnoh. I'll have to work that into the fanfiction.

**Fire Drastar: **Why should Harley get lost? He makes the story funny. But don't worry, there will be times when May and Drew will be alone.

**CrazyFanGurl101: **My version of contestshipping will be different, in that it won't be super mushy. I'm not criticizing anyone who takes that route, but I'm going for a serious dramatic romance, like Roy x Riza from _Full Metal Alchemist_.

**Arysd: **Wait…people like Harley? But he's May's rival. I guess Jahan can do wonders for a character's personality.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N: **I am **SO **sorry for this chapter being up a little later than I usually post, but my laptop was screwed up and the only other computer I con use is the family computer, which is infected by worms. I wanted to know if I should risk it, but I did anyway, just for you guys!

Anyway, as I said before, I'm going to mostly rush through the contests for many reasons. Mainly, I don't really fancy contests so much. It's hard to make attacks look beautiful. Another reason is that I REALLY want to get out of Blackthorn City and move to the next town.

**In the preview, it said that May was using Eevee in the contest, but Eevee doesn't actually know any Beauty moves. So, I'm going to change it to her using Blaziken, who knows at least two Beauty moves. Drew also had that problem, so instead of Roselia, I'm changing it to Flygon. Harley will still use Cacturne.**

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Cyndaquil (Ember, Smokescreen, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_The battle in the Blackthorn City Gym continues as May's cocky and arrogant Wartortle takes Clair's powerful Gabite. Gabite and Wartortle threw attacks at each other, but since Cyndaquil used Sunny Day earlier, Wartortle's water attacks are useless against Gabite. Gabite manages to deal major damage to Wartortle, but soon Sunny Day dies down and Wartortle managed to defeat Gabite with his Aqua Tail/Ice Beam combo._

_However, Wartortle couldn't defeat Clair's next Pokémon, Dragonair. With Wartortle out, it would now be Cyndaquil's turn to finish Clair's last Pokémon. The two had an epic battle, but in the end, both of them were knocked out. Normally, both trainers would have lost, but May still had Munchlax left on her team, so she got the win and her Rising Badge, the first gym badge she has ever won!_

_Once she reached the Pokémon Center with Harley and Drew, she met with Jahan, who says that he'll chase after Team Galactic and retrieve his stolen Tyranitar._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Blackthorn City Contest Hall**

"Good afternoon Johto," the female broadcaster said. "I am Roxanna, and this is Johto Today! We are live in front of the Blackthorn City Contest Hall where the first ever Johto Contest will take place. Many Pokémon Coordinators have shown up today to show off their skills and Pokémon, but which one will win the Blackthorn Ribbon and be closer to entering the Grand Festival?"

Suddenly, a familiar girl walked past the news team. She had long brown hair and wore a bright white veil that went down the back of his head and a pink dress that followed every curve of her body along with a white skirt **(A/N: It's the outfit she wore during the Wallace Cup, which I'll try to incorporate into this story).**

At the moment, Roxanna caught her in her sight and recognized her right away. "Hey…is that who I think it is?" asked Roxanna. "Let's find out. Come on!"

Roxanna and her crew quickly walked over to the brown-haired girl. The girl turned out to be May. Once Roxanna stopped her and got a clear view of her face, she got excited. "Oh my, it is her: May from Petalburg City!" she shouted, excitedly.

"Ummm…yeah, that's me," May replied. She was very confused.

"Hello May. My name is Roxanna. I'm with '_Johto Today_', the Johto regions' number one television program. Are you the girl who's challenging both the gyms and the contests?" Roxanna asked.

"How did you know that?" asked May.

"We heard of your victory over Clair the gym leader yesterday, and when we heard that you were a Coordinator, we had to come down and try to interview you."

"Oh, really?!? Wow!" May said, excitedly. "Oh man, my first interview on television…"

"Now May, what led you to challenge both contests and gyms?" asked Roxanna.

As the interview went on, a crowd of Coordinators gathered behind May. "Well…you see, there's this guy I know that thinks that all Coordinators are weak and that can't defeat tough guys like Clair," answered May.

The crowd got angry and booed loudly.

"What was that?"

"Who said that?"

"Get me his address! I'll get him!"

May turned around and saw the group of Coordinators. "Whoa, where did these people come from?" asked May.

"Never mind them," Roxanna said, pulling her head back towards the camera. "So, a trainer influenced you to do this contest and gym challenge? Do you believe that you can complete this challenge? It would be quite a sight to see a Coordinator hold both the Ribbon Cup and the Sinnoh League Championship."

"It would be, and I believe I can achieve that goal," answered May. The crowd behind May then cheered and hollered. "Because Coordinators are stronger than people think we are."

The crowd then began cheering as loud as they could. "But for now," continued May. "I'm here for the contest. This will be my first contest in Johto as well. I'll get my five ribbons and then move on to the Grand Festival in Goldenrod City."

"Do you think you can win?"

"I know I can win! I may have lost the last two Grand Festivals, but third time's the charm, right?"

"Well, you heard it from May, a confident young woman she is!" Roxanna said, looking at the camera. "_'__**Johto Today**__'_ will continue its coverage on the Blackthorn City Contest after a word from our sponsors."

Suddenly, Roxanna quickly stepped back as the microphone fell on the ground in front of her. "Darn it Joe!" Roxanna shouted. "This is the kind of stuff my sister Rhonda in Sinnoh has to deal with everyday! I don't want to deal with it here!"

"Sorry Roxanna," apologized Joe the boom operator, as he ran up and picked up the microphone.

The crowd soon dispersed after '_**Johto Today'**_. May took a deep breath and began walking around the fair that was set up outside of the Contest Hall.

May had just won her first ever gym badge at the Blackthorn City Gym. It wasn't easy battling Clair's powerful Dragon Pokémon, but she was now closer to entering the Johto League.

Today she was going to participate in the Blackthorn City Contest. Since it was taking place only a day after May won her badge, she had to scramble to figure out what she was going to where for the first round of the Pokémon Contest.

All around, there was food, souvenirs, interviews with top Coordinators, and several midway-type games. There were people and Pokémon everywhere. "Wow…they really went all out with the fan fair," May said to herself. She then had an idea. "I think I know of couple of Pokémon who would enjoy this."

She took out her Poké Balls and released her entire team of Blaziken, Cyndaquil, Munchlax, Wartortle, and Eevee. "Alright guys, today is our first contest here in this new region!"

"_Wait…already?!?_" Blaziken asked. "_But we didn't even train for the contest!_"

"_What are you complaining about?_" Cyndaquil asked, angrily. "_At least, you're in shape_!"

"_Yeah!_" agreed Munchlax. "_My hand still hurts!_"

"_A contest? Whatever a contest is, I can beat it with ease,_" boasted Wartortle.

"Look, I know its short notice coming from the Blackthorn Gym, but it's important that we win the contest today," said May. "If we win the first contest, we'll keep the momentum up through the other four. I know we can do it!"

"_Come on guys! May needs our support!_" Blaziken shouted. "_Who's with us_?"

"_I am!_" Cyndaquil shouted.

"_I'm so in!_" Wartortle shouted.

"_Me too!_" Eevee shouted.

"_I am…on one condition_," Munchlax said. "_I want to go there!_"

Munchlax pointed to a booth behind May. She turned around and knew immediately why Munchlax wanted to go there. The sign read "HOME-MADE POKÉ BLOCKS: FREE SAMPLES AVAILABLE!"

May just giggled. "Okay Munchlax, I'll get you a Poké Block. In fact, you guys all deserve a Poké Block!"

The Pokémon cheered happily. "Alright, I'll be right back!" May said. She turned around and quickly headed over to the booth selling Poké Blocks. There were several women at the booth, all working on blenders. There were buckets of berries right beside the blender. May walked up and one of the cooks provided her with a little card, in which she was supposed to check which berry she wants.

May quickly looked over the card. "Wow…they have all sorts of berries here," muttered May. "I wonder which one I should pick."

"Want me to help you choose?" asked a voice.

May turned her head and saw Drew, wearing an elegant green tuxedo with a rose in his shirt pocket. May was stunned. "Drew?" she asked, surprised. She placed her hands over her mouth in shock. "Oh my…you look so…amazing!"

"Really?" asked Drew. "I hate this thing."

"What?!? Why?!?" asked May. "You look so handsome in it, like a pretty boy from an anime."

"You just answered your own question," Drew said.

Drew then looked at May and her outfit. "I like your dress," complimented Drew.

"Well of course you do," replied May. "You're the one who bought it for me. I think it does look great on me."

"So, what contest category are you in?" asked Drew.

"I'm in the Beauty contest," answered May.

"I think that fits you very well. I'm in the Cool contest."

"I think that fits you," laughed May.

"Though, because you said I look like a pretty boy, I doubt I'll win the first round," groaned Drew. "I was hoping to find Cool clothes, but…"

"I don't think that matters," May said. "You might lose a few points, but I think your Pokémon will win in your category."

"You think so?" asked Drew.

"I know so," said May.

The two continued smiling at each other. It was strange. The two were bitter rivals back in Hoenn and Kanto, but here in Johto, they didn't feel hostile towards each other. It could be that since they were in different categories, they wouldn't have to face each other. There was no reason for them to be mean to each other.

"_Attention all Coordinators, the Pokémon Beauty Contest is about to begin. Any Coordinators participating in the Pokémon Beauty Contest should head inside into the Contest Hall backstage area._"

The announcement came over the intercom. "Oh my," May said. "Um…I guess I better get going."

"Yeah, you probably should," said Drew.

"Um…okay then. Bye," May said.

"Good luck," Drew said.

With a friendly bow, May quickly ran off towards the Contest Hall among the other Coordinators.

"Hmmm…when did May begin to bow to you?" asked a voice.

Suddenly, Harley placed his right elbow on Drew's left shoulder. Drew quickly swatted him off. "What the heck?!? Darn it, Harley!" shouted Drew. "Where did you come from?!?"

"Surely Drew, you were given the talk," replied Harley, cheekily.

"You know what? I don't feel like dealing with you!"

"Oh, but eventually, you'll have to deal with me," Harley replied. "You see, I'm in the Cool Contest as well. And Cacturne and I will annihilate the competition and win our Blackthorn Red Ribbon!" Drew said nothing and continued on his way. "But on the bright side, May seems to have no rivals in her Beauty contest."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Ladies and gentlemen and Pokémon trainers and Coordinators alike!" shouted a female in the center of the arena. "I, Jillian Meridian the master of ceremonies, welcome you all to the first-ever Blackthorn City Contest!"

The fans cheered loudly. As Jillian announced the judges, many Coordinators were backstage, preparing their Pokémon and themselves for the first round, _Appearance_.

May was sitting on a bench, brushing Blaziken's fur. "I hope your ready Blaziken," May muttered. "The first round, appearance is everything."

"_Huh…appearance?_" Blaziken asked, worriedly.

"I'm sure you'll do fine," reassured May.

After brushing her down, May backed up and got a good look at Blaziken. "There! Now, you're the most beautiful Pokémon I've ever seen," May said. She then raised a mirror up to Blaziken's face.

"May? Is that you?" asked a voice.

May and Blaziken looked up at a woman, who had pink hair and wore a beautiful orange dress. Right beside her was a Slowbro, standing with a wide smile and a goofy look. May recognized her right away. "Solidad?" May asked, excitedly. May got up from seat and hugged Solidad. "Oh my, Solidad! It's been such a long time."

"It has, hasn't it?" Solidad asked. "So, you really did go to Johto after all?"

"Drew is in Johto. Harley's in Johto. Did you really think I wouldn't jump ship and go to?" May asked.

"I knew you would," Solidad said. "Anyway, it's great that you came. I saw your interview on T.V."

"Oh…you saw that?" May asked.

"I never knew you were going to do gym battles as well," Solidad added. "How's that going for you?"

May reached into her back and pulled out a silver Badges case. She opened it up and flashed her Rising Badge to Solidad. "Hmm…Impressive," commented Solidad. "How did your first battle go?"

"My gym battle was pretty tough. Clair was pretty strong, but we pulled through," May said.

"Well, I hope you can pull through today's contest. There's a lot of tough competitors out there."

"I know. What's worse is that I didn't have any time to prepare for the contest," mentioned May. "I'm a little nervous."

"So, you'll have to improvise. That's one of the things a Coordinator has to be able to do in times like this. I'm sure you can do it," Solidad said.

"I hope I can too," May muttered, worriedly.

_**Ring, Ring, Ring! Ring, Ring, Ring! Phone call! Phone call!**_

Suddenly, May's PokéNav began running loudly. May began going through her bag for her PokéNav. "Interesting ring tone," commented Solidad.

"I still haven't figured out how to change it," replied May.

Soon, she pulled out her PokéNav and flipped it open. Her dad's picture appeared on-screen. May held the PokéNav up to her ear. "Hello?" asked May.

"_Hello May!_" replied Norman.

"Oh hi dad!"

"_I'm so proud of you! I knew you were my daughter and your interview proved it!_"

"You saw that too? But I thought that was on Johto Today! We don't get that in Petalburg City!"

"_True, but Professor Birch does. Max, your mother, and I are here in his lab, going to watch you in that contest._"

"You're watching at home?"

"_Yes, but I can't believe you won your first gym badge!_"

"It wasn't easy, but we did it!"

"_In that case, this contest, along with every other gym, should be a piece of cake for you. Well, it sounds like you are about to go on, so I'm going to go ahead and let you compete. We'll be rooting for you_."

"Thanks dad! Tell mom and Max I love them!"

After their little conversation, Jillian Meridian called everyone up to the stage to perform in the first round appeal. "Let's go, Blaziken!" May said. Blaziken walked beside May out into the stage. All twenty of the Coordinators in the Beauty Contest lined up in a single file line in front of thousands of people in the arena.

The first round took place as Jillian went up to every Coordinator, saying their names and hometowns. The crowd would then cheer as the judges quickly scored the Pokémon and trainer's appearance.

Soon enough, Jillian stood in front of Solidad and her Slowbro. "Give it up for Solidad from Pewter City in the Kanto region!" Jillian shouted. The spotlight focused on Solidad and Slowbro. Solidad waved to the audience happily, as they cheered loudly for her. Slowbro remained quiet. The judges quietly looked down at their desks and wrote down some numbers.

Jillian then moved over to May and Blaziken. "Now, give a warm welcome to May, from Petalburg City from Hoenn region!" Jillian shouted. The crowd roared with applause for May. May was very surprised to hear such a loud response from the audience. She didn't know what to do.

Blaziken, however, was soaking up the attention. "_Thank you very much! Blackthorn City: it's such a great place to be! I'll sign autographs after the show!_" he waved happily.

"Wow…quite a reception you got there May," Jillian said, before moving on to the next contestant.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Now it was time for Round 2: Appeal. This is when the Pokémon would use their moves to display a spectacular display of beauty. Afterwards, the judges would give points depending on how great of an appeal was shown. The points earned in the round will be added to the score in the first round.

While Solidad and Slowbro were doing their appeal, May and Blaziken were panicking behind the curtain. "_What are we going to do?_" Blaziken asked, worriedly. "_We haven't learned any new moves since we left Petalburg City!_"

"It's…it's going to be fine," reassured May. She then reached into her bag and took out a small sketchbook. "You may not know it, but I actually have a whole book dedicated to back-up contest moves."

She then flipped a few pages and then flashed the picture to Blaziken, who observed it carefully. "I know we haven't rehearsed this move yet, but we really don't have a choice here. It looks simple enough, right?" she asked.

"_Ummm…can I really do that with my Flamethrower?_" Blaziken asked.

"We can certainly try," replied May.

The crowd cheered after being showered with shimmering snowflakes from Slowbro's appeal. "Give it up for Solidad and her Slowbro!" Jillian shouted.

Solidad and Slowbro bowed towards the audience before walking off the stage. "Next up is May from Petalburg City!"

"Here we go Blaziken," May said. "Are you ready?"

"_If I said no, it wouldn't make a difference,_" Blaziken said.

May and Blaziken ran out onto the stage in front of the thousands of people crowding into the Contest Hall. "Alright Blaziken, use Flamethrower!" commanded May.

Blaziken held its head up high and shot out a huge fireball into the air. Once the huge fireball was high enough, it began to fall back towards the stage. "Now Blaziken, use Blaze Kick!" May shouted. When the fireball was close to setting the stage on fire, Blaziken's right foot caught fire. He lifted his foot and kicked the fireball, exploding in into little sparks. Thankfully, nothing was set on fire and the crowd loved it.

"Well that was quite _explosive!_" Jillian shouted. She turned to the judges. "Judges, what do you think?" she asked.

"I thought it was a fantastic display!" Nurse Joy said, happily.

"I was expecting more, but at least you didn't kill anybody," commented Wesley (a young man with spiky white hair).

"It was simple, yet elegant!" Mister Henshaw said (an elderly man known for wearing a brown coat and hat).

"Alright May, you got some good votes from our judges," Jillian said. "Now one more round of applause for May!"

The crowd cheered as May and Blaziken waved to the fans.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Backstage, May and her Pokémon were watching the T.V., awaiting the Judges' scores. Munchlax was in the corner, taking full advantage of May's free food service. The rest of the Pokémon were with May. Cyndaquil was sitting by May's feet, pouting. "I don't know about you Blaziken, but that was some good improvisation," she said.

"_Yeah…__**we**__ sure showed them_," said Cyndaquil, stressing the word 'we'.

"_I thought I did pretty good_," Blaziken said.

"I know we can win this contest," replied May.

"_**We **__will!_" Cyndaquil said again.

"Darn it Cyndaquil, I already explained this to you. The only reason I picked Blaziken over you because I needed a Pokémon who has been in a contest. I haven't taught you anything about contests yet," May said.

May continued to look at the pouting Cyndaquil. "Okay how about this? You'll be in my next contest," offered May.

"_Deal_," agreed Cyndaquil.

"Hey May!" shouted a voice.

May turned around and saw Solidad, Slowbro, Drew, Harley, and Cacturne walking towards them. "Oh hey guys!" May said back to them. "I saw your appeals earlier. Drew, you were great!"

"Cacturne and I did a spectacular job too!" Harley announced, proudly. "We even got more points than Drew!"

"It was only because my suit didn't fit the term 'cool'," argued Drew.

"At least Flygon made up for the lost points," Solidad said.

"Yeah…I guess…" murmured Drew.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you made it to the next rounds," May said.

"_The judges have finished tallying up the scores. Now we shall reveal the eight contestants from each category who will move on to the battle rounds. We'll start with the cool category,_" announced Jillian.

Everyone turned to the T.V. The T.V. showed the eight contestants, and as expected, both Drew and Harley made it into the next round. "Alright, you made it to the next round, Drew!" May shouted, happily.

"Just barely," added Harley.

"_And now, the results from the Beauty category will be displayed_," Jillian announced. May watched nervously as the names and faces appeared on-screen. Solidad, of course, made it to the next round. She smirked as the names continued coming up.

Then, May's face and name appeared on-screen. "Yes! We did it!" shouted May, happily.

"_It's official! Johto loves me!_" boasted Blaziken.

"_Oh yeah? Just wait until __**I**_ _appear in a Johto contest!_" Wartortle said.

"_This calls for some more food!_" cheered Munchlax.

The four continued cheering and celebrating. Unbeknownst to them, there was a black-haired girl with a gorgeous blue outfit sitting on a nearby bench, eyeing the group, looking at May in particular. She petted the sleek skin of her Vaporeon, who sat beside her. "Look at her Vaporeon, she's so happy and cheerful," she muttered, angrily. "It makes my stomach churn with nausea."

"_And look at the Wartortle…_" purred Vaporeon. "_He's not even in the contest and already he feels boastful and cocky._"

"You know that girl only made it to the next round because she's suddenly famous for taking on both contests and gyms. My own fans even like her better than me."

"_We can fix that right_?" Vaporeon asked.

"Of course, Vaporeon. We can fix it with ease."

The young girl then continued snickering evilly. Clearly, May needs to watch her back.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: What's this? A new Coordinator rival for May? Well, it was necessary. It's a new region for May, and so she needed a new rival. Not only that, but since both Drew and Harley are in a different category and Solidad isn't exactly a 'jerk' rival, so this new person will fit in perfectly.

I hope this was worth the wait. I originally planned for this to be one long chapter, but I thought breaking it up will be better. And I know some people are complaining on the lack of ContestShipping, but after May leaves Blackthorn City (hopefully by the end of the next chapter), they're be more hints of CS. Just trust me on this on.

**NEXT TIME…**

After successfully passing the first two rounds, all May needs to win the contest is to defeat her three opponents in the battle round. Her first challenger is Solidad and her Slowbro. Cleary, Blaziken is at a disadvantage against Slowbro's Water-Type attacks, but can he pull through?

And what about that mysterious young girl with the Vaporeon? Why does she have such a deep hatred towards May? And clearly, that Vaporeon has some problems with May's Pokémon, especially Blaziken and Wartortle.

Plus, we'll get and update on what Team Galactic is doing to Jahan's Tyranitar.

All of this and more in the next, fist-clenching chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	16. May's First Johto Contest! Part Two

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

REVIEW REPLIES

**Akatsuki no Kage: **There is an Ice Cave that connects Blackthorn City and Mahogany Town together. Whether May will find the Ice Rock there is left to be decided.

**PerlaNemesis: **I'm glad you like the little May x Drew moment, but there's more where that came from!

**Fire Drastar: **I tired to model them after the contests in the games, but I include some bits from the anime as well.

**Arysd: **You are one of the few people who understands the ContestShipping. Now that you mention it, I think it could be a spinoff from the anime as well. Eh, but dreams like that don't usually get granted, except for _Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver_!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N: **_**OH MY GOD! THE REMIXED MUSIC IN POKÉMON HEARTGOLD AND SOULSILVER IS SO AWESOME! IT SOUNDS LIKE THE GOLD AND SILVER MUSIC, BUT IT'S BETTER! I CAN'T WAIT FOR IT TO COME OUT IN AMERICA SO I CAN HEAR THE MUSIC ANYTIME I WANT! ACTUALLY, THE WHOLE GAME IS AWESOME! YOU CAN CATCH ALMOST EVERY LEGENEDARY POKÉMON IN THAT GAME! AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE REMIXED MUSIC, YOU CAN GET SOMETHING CALLED THE GAME BOY PLAYER AND THAT SWITCHES THE MUSIC TO THE ORIGINAL MUSIC FROM GOLD/SILVER! IT'S A GREAT PIECE OF NOSTALGIA! POKÉMON! AH! SOMEBODY HUG ME!**_

Now that the freak-out is done, _Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver_ is actually very good, and I LOVE the remixed music (especially the Rival Battle music). I can't wait for March/April 2010, when the games are supposed to come out.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Cyndaquil (Ember, Smokescreen, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_With the Blackthorn Gym behind her, May is now gearing up for the Blackthorn City Contest, which will be her first contest in Johto. After a short interview on television, she begins to gather a fanbase within the Coordinator community._

_Without a moment to spare, May and her Blaziken enter the Beauty contest with high hopes of winning the competition. May also meets up with another fellow Coordinator that she met in Kanto's Grand Festival, Solidad. Thankfully, she's a caring person but her Coordinating skills are phenomenal._

_May and Blaziken panic a bit, seeing as how they had little time to train for the contest. But with some improvisation, they manage to move onto the next round of the contest._

_But while May and her team celebrate, a new rival and her Vaporeon glares at her evilly. Apparently, both of them have some sort of grudge against May and her Pokémon._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Blackthorn City Contest Hall**

"Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to Johto Today!" announced Roxanna. "We are continuing our exclusive live coverage of the Blackthorn City Contest! We have just witnessed a grand display of appeals during the last two rounds. There are some great coordinators in this contest, but there are two hot new contenders in the Beauty category are May from Petalburg City and Solidad from Pewter City!'

The camera then showcased some of May and Solidad's previous contest battles and appeals. "These two were some of the greatest back in their home regions. In fact, both of them appeared in Kanto's Grand Festival, with Solidad taking home the Ribbon Cup. Will she be able to do the same in Johto? On the other hand, will May or anyone else for that matter? Well, we'll just have to see."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Backstage, the girl with black hair violently kicked against the flat-screen television against the wall, cracking the television screen. Her servant in a tuxedo stood beside her. "Pardon me, mistress," he said in an English accent. "But you do realize that the television is property of the Blackthorn City Contest Hall?"

"Just paid them off, Harold! It couldn't have been that expensive!" the girl shouted, angrily. "That stupid May girl is getting the attention of everyone in Johto…even the media!"

"_Not to mention that Blaziken is thinking he is on top of the world now,"_ the girl's Vaporeon purred.

"Don't worry Vaporeon," the girl said. "We'll fix her attitude soon enough. We'll show the two who really runs the Johto contests!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Soon enough, the judges announced the tournament rounds and showed it on television. All of the eight Coordinators, including May and Solidad, watched on-screen to see where they were in the tournament. Drew stood by them, awaiting the results.

"So May," Drew said. "Who are you going up against in the first round?"

"I'm up against somebody named Westin. She's from Cerulean City in Kanto," answered May. "Apparently, she's a newcomer as well."

"You can handle it right?" Drew asked.

"I hope so," replied May.

Suddenly, Harley ran up to the three. "Oh Drewww!" Harley sung. That immediately sends a shiver down Drew's spine. "What is it?" he asked, sounding annoyed.

Harley then held up a piece of paper. "I just got the tournament standings for the Cool category!" Harley said, happily.

"Really?" Drew asked.

"Yep, and guess what's going to be in the very first battle?" asked Harley.

He then held up the tournament standings in Drew's face. Drew, Solidad, and Harley looked at the sheet, and the very first battle at the top left was '_**Drew vs. Harley**_'. The arrangement surprised Drew. "I'm paired up with you first?"

"Oh, I bet you're surprised, little Drew," Harley said. "And that's a good thing. The element of surprise can lead to my victory today!"

"I doubt that Harley," Drew replied. "You are going to need more than small tricks to beat me. Flygon and I can beat you and Cacturne!"

"Hmmm…strong mighty words from someone who lost to me in the first round," Harley said.

Drew just angrily glared at Harley.

"Look at this," Solidad said, pointing to her name. "If I beat my Coordinator and if May beats her, we'll end up battling each other in the next round."

"Oh…umm…" stuttered May.

"Oh my," Harley said. "Well I suppose May's dream of winning the Ribbon Cup is shot down."

"Harley, don't say that," scolded Solidad.

"Yeah Harley, you don't know for sure!" Drew added.

"Oh Drew, always so defensive when it comes to May," Harley said.

Instead of arguing, Drew turned back to May. "May, don't worry about Solidad. You will battle her when you will battle her. For now, just worry about this Westin and whatever Pokémon she has, okay?" asked Drew.

"I will," replied May.

"Ah…it's so sweet," mocked Harley.

Drew was about to lash out at Harley, but May suddenly stopped him. "Hold in your anger, Drew. Use it for your battle against him," May said.

"Oh…good idea," replied Drew.

Suddenly there was an announcement. "_Attention all Pokémon coordinators, will the competitors of the first battle in the Beauty category, please report to the battlefield immediately_._"_

"Well, I guess I better get going," Solidad said. "May, are you going to watch my battle or are you going to watch Harley and Drew's?"

"Umm…I don't know," May said. Her battle against the Westin was right after Solidad's battle, so there was plenty of time for her to watch either battle and then get ready for hers. "I don't mind if you want to watch Drew and Harley battle," added Solidad.

"Well…" began May.

"Yes, you should watch our battle May," Harley said. "Because Drew would…"

"It would be fun to see who is better," interrupted Drew.

May looked at Harley and Drew, and then at Solidad. "Um Solidad, I'm going to go watch Harley and Drew battle," she said.

"That's okay," Solidad replied. "I'll see you later!"

"Good luck in your battle!" May shouted, happily.

"She won't need it," said Harley. "She's a Ribbon Cup winner!"

The three then went towards the arena where the Cool contests were going to be held.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Alright everyone, it's time for the first battle of the Cool contest tournament!" Jillian Meridian announced. The fans cheered as May and her Pokémon took their seats. Munchlax, as anyone would expect, had bundles of food in his hands. "_So May, who are you rooting for?_" asked Cyndaquil.

"Um…well, I hope that…Drew wins," muttered May.

"_Why Drew?_" Blaziken asked.

"Well, as much as Harley's gotten better, he's still somewhat of a jerk and a buzz-kill. Drew…we've actually gotten along better," answered May.

May turned to her Pokémon to see all of them staring at her with narrow eyes. "What?" May asked.

"_Nothing…_" Blaziken said, shyly.

"Now, give a round of applause for our two competitors! First, allow me to introduce Harley from Slateport City!" announced Jillian.

The fans cheered as Harley walked onto the battlefield. He waved to the audience. "Thank you all!" shouted Harley. "It's great to be in Johto!"

"And now, introducing his opponent, Drew from LaRousse City!"

The cheered again as Drew walked onto the battlefield. May and her Pokémon cheered as loud as they could for Drew.

Drew and Harley met each other in the center of the battlefield. "Ready to lose to the awesomeness that is…me?" asked Harley, in a boastful way.

"Hmm…I don't think so," replied Drew.

"Of course," Harley replied. "You can't bear to lose in front of her."

Drew looked into the audience and found May and her Pokémon, who waved back at him. Drew then turned back to Harley. "There's nothing between us," Drew said. "And I'll prove that today."

"Oohh…good come back," taunted Harley.

The two then went to their sides of the battlefield. On the scoreboard, their face and points were placed and five minutes were put on the clock. Both Harley and Drew reached into their pockets and took out a Poké Ball.

"Go Cacturne!" Harley shouted, throwing the Poké Ball in the air. The Poké Ball opened up and released Cacturne into the field. "Alright, let's go Flygon!" Drew shouted. Drew threw the Poké Ball and out came his Flygon.

"Alright, Battle One: Harley versus Drew…begin!"

"Flygon, use Sandstorm!" Drew commanded. Flygon hovered above the ground and it flapped its mighty wings, kicking up sand all over the arena. The fans and Harley covered their eyes to protect themselves from the flying sand. Munchlax covered his food, hoping not to get sand in them.

Harley's points went down just a bit (**TIME-4:50**).

Harley continued looking around for Flygon. "Now Flygon, use DragonBreath!" Drew shouted.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a greenish-yellow beam of air pierced the fierce Sandstorm and attacked Cacturne. But for some reason, Cacturne wasn't there. "Huh?" Drew asked.

"Oh dear, so simple as always, Drew," boasted Harley. "You forget that my Cacturne has the ability called Sand Veil. That grants Cacturne the ability to blend into a Sandstorm!"

"Oh great," groaned Drew.

"Alright Cacturne, use Needle Arm!" shouted Harley.

Flygon continued to look around for Cacturne. Despite its excellent eyesight, it still couldn't find Cacturne. But suddenly, a barrage of long, sharp needles pierced its entire body, weakening it.

"Amazing, Cacturne has launched a sneak attack by using Flygon's Sandstorm to its advantage!" Jillian announced.

Suddenly Drew's points gradually went down with every needle Flygon was taking (**TIME-4:43**). "This isn't good," commented May.

"_I have to find Cacturne somehow,_" Drew thought. "Flygon use Flamethrower and lure out Cacturne!"

Flygon reared its head and unleashed a huge breath of fire straight in front of him. Cacturne wasn't there. Flygon began to circle around the battlefield, shooting off Flamethrowers. The fans, judges, and Jillian Meridian ducked as the fire scorched dangerously close to the audience (**TIME-4:29**).

Flygon continued to do this, until suddenly a flaming Cacturne flew into the air. "Alright, Flygon got him!" May shouted, happily.

"_About time!_" complained Cyndaquil. "_He was very close to burning everybody alive!_"

While Cacturne was up in the air, Flygon flew up and tackled Cacturne in the stomach, effectively putting the flames out. Flygon hovered above Cacturne. "Now Flygon, use Steel Wing!" Drew shouted.

Flygon's wings grew shiny as it hardened like steel. Using its wing, he flew down towards the ground and slammed Cacturne into the battlefield, fanning the sandstorm out into the audience. Everyone covered their eyes to avoid the sand flying into their eyes.

"Wow…that move was so cool it's blinding!" announced Jillian. "Seriously though, the sand in my eyes has blinded me."

Despite everyone rubbing their eyes in agony, Harley's points took a huge dive. He was now halfway to losing the contest (**TIME-4:06**). Harley got angry when he saw that he was very close to losing. "Still think you're going to win?" asked Drew.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do," replied Harley.

Soon enough, Cacturne got onto his feet, though severely burned. "Don't worry Cacturne, we can do this!" Harley said.

"Now Flygon, use DragonBreath!" Drew shouted.

Flygon reared its head and prepared an attack. "Cacturne, stop him with Cut!" Harley shouted. Cacturne's spiked arm glowed brightly as it lunged towards Flygon. Flygon unleashed DragonBreath but Cacturne ducked and then rolled out of the way. He jumped up and slashed Flygon across the face. The fans were amazed by the cool evasion maneuver.

"_Wow…nice evasion,_" Blaziken announced.

Drew's points then went down, getting close to Harley's point count (**TIME-3:54**). "Now Cacturne, use Needle Arm and…hit the wall behind Flygon. Flygon looked back at the wall confused as to why Cacturne did what he did. "Now Cacturne, use Faint Attack!" Harley commanded.

Flygon turned around, only for its face to meet Cacturne's needled-arm. The fans 'oohed' at Cacturne's attack. "Amazing!" announced Jillian Meridian, after regaining her eyesight. "Cacturne seems to be a master of evasion!"

"_Hmm…the master of evasion. I rather like that idea,_" thought Harley.

Drew's points went down significantly, matching up with Harley's points. The time was now at three minutes and forty-three seconds.

"Come on Drew!" shouted May. "You can do it!"

Drew continued to look at the battlefield. Flygon had just shaken off the effects of Cacturne's Faint Attack. But then, he remembered something he should have used a few minutes ago. "Flygon, use Flamethrower!" Drew commanded.

Flygon breathe a stream of fire at Cacturne, but Cacturne quickly dodged out of the way. "You missed," taunted Harley. "Cacturne, finish him with another Needle Attack!" Harley demanded.

Cacturne lunged at Flygon with a glowing arm. "Now Flygon, fly towards the ceiling!"

Right when Cacturne was about to hit, Flygon quickly launched himself off the ground and flew up towards the ceiling. Everyone looked up as Flygon flew high above their heads. Cacturne was a bit surprised. "_Oh right…Flygon can fly,_" Cacturne said, finally releasing what was going on. "_This isn't good._"

"Hey, get back down and fight!" Harley shouted.

"Okay," replied Drew. "Flygon, spiral down and use DragonBreath!"

Flygon began to descent rapidly, spiraling his body and unleashing a stream of greenish-yellow of air towards Cacturne. But for some reason, Flygon missed his attack! "_Huh?_" Cacturne asked himself. "_What's he up to?_"

"Flygon, use Steel Wing!" Drew shouted.

Cacturne frantically looked around for Flygon. "Cacturne, behind you!" Harley shouted.

Cacturne slowly turned around. Flygon's Steel Wing crashed into Cacturne, propelling him into Harley. Both of them were knocked unconscious. The time was now at three minutes and twenty-eight seconds.

The referee glanced over at Cacturne. "Cacturne is unable to battle! The winner of this round is Drew!" the referee shouted.

The fans cheered as Drew and Flygon celebrated in the center of the battlefield. May got up from seat and cheered loudly. "Alright Drew!" shouted May, happily.

Drew looked in her direction and gave her the thumbs-up.

At that moment, Harley was regaining consciousness. "What happened? Did we win?" asked Harley. He looked up at the scoreboard. When he saw Drew's face, he immediately fainted again.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**(A/N: **In the effort to save time, we are going to skip ahead to later that night. May battled against her opponent, Westin and his Dewgong. Blaziken, though even at a type disadvantage, managed to overtake Dewgong**.)**

**LATER THAT NIGHT…**

Everyone was resting at the Pokémon Center. The end of the first rounds of the battle tournaments has ended and the trainers were now celebrating their victory. Harley and his Cacturne were sulking in his room while Drew and his Pokémon were in the lobby having a blast.

May was outside of the Pokémon Center in her pajamas, looking up at the stars. She wasn't in any mood to celebrate. She then looked down at her feet, feeling very anxious about tomorrow.

"Hey," said a familiar voice.

May turned around and saw Drew in the doorway. "Oh…hey Drew," replied May.

"So, why are you out here?" asked Drew. "You should be happy! You won your contest battle too."

"Oh, I am happy that I won my battle," replied May. "I'm just a little worried about tomorrow."

"Huh?" asked Drew. "Oh yeah, tomorrow is your battle against Solidad. Are you nervous?"

Drew turned to May, who glared right back at him. "Come on May," Drew said. "You shouldn't let Solidad get to you."

"It's just that the last time I battled against her…" she said.

"Yeah I know. You lost against her," finished Drew. "But, that was a long time ago. Maybe you've gotten better. You did beat Clair the gym leader."

"Still…I'm sure Solidad has been training too," May said.

"Maybe, but I know you can beat her May," replied Drew. "I mean, I almost thought that I was going to be beaten by Harley. But then, I remembered that you were in the audience."

Soon enough, Drew was feeling a bit nervous. "Um…and…and that sort of…reminded me that I had to be better than you…so yeah…" he said, nervously.

"Really?" May asked.

"Yeah, and that's what lead me to beat Harley," Drew said.

May then laughed. "What's so funny?" asked Drew.

"Oh nothing," she replied. "In that case, I better not lose tomorrow. I want to be the first one of us to beat Solidad in a contest!"

"Yeah, now you have a good reason to beat Solidad," said Drew.

The two of them laughed as they went back inside. Drew then stopped and thought to himself. "_Thank God Harley wasn't around to hear that!_"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MEANWHILE…**

Somewhere in the middle of the ocean by Cianwood City, a small but productive Team Galactic base was built underwater. To the many cargo ships nearby, it looked to be an innocent oilrig. But once people go down past the fourth floor, they would find a sophisticated system of elevators and underwater tunnels that connected the various parts of the base together.

Leader Cyrus and Commander Neptune were walking alongside a suspended walkway inside a large room built on the sea floor that housed all of the base's computer operations. "I must admit Commander Neptune," began Cyrus. "When you proposed to me that Team Galactic goes to Johto to work on some Shadow Pokémon plan, I was a bit skeptical that it would work. But so far, everything is going according to plan."

"Thank you sir," replied Neptune. "Your praise is what keeps this plan together sir."

"You know, normally I would give you a promotion right now, but whenever I try to, something bad usually happens," added Cyrus.

"Come on Leader Cyrus sir. What could possibly happen?"

"You shouldn't say things like that, because when you do…"

Suddenly, Cyrus was cut off when a small beeping noise could be heard. One of the computer experts swiveled towards Cyrus and Neptune. "Sir, we're getting a distress signal from the Team Galactic base in Mount Silver," he reported.

Cyrus then turned to glare at Neptune, who was now laughing nervously. "Patch it through," Cyrus demanded.

The giant computer screen then portrayed a sweaty scientist who was breathing heavily. "_Sir, we have a little bit of a problem with the Tyranitar project_," the scientist report, hastily.

"What's the matter?" Cyrus asked.

"_Well…just take a look at this!_"

Soon the video changed to a large Pokémon laboratory in Mount Silver. It showed Tyranitar going on a rampage. His eye pupils were dark purple and he was stomping about, shaking the building and knocking plaster off the ceiling. Many scientists and Galactic Grunts were doing their best to detain Tyranitar, but to no avail.

Neptune was tugging at his shirt collar nervously. Clearly, his boss was not very happy with what was happening. And to make matters worse…

"Sir, we have reports that the commotion at the Mount Silver has caused the police to head that way," reported another computer expert. Neptune tugged at his shirt collar again as he looked at his angry boss.

"_Sir…what do we do?!?_" panicked the scientist on the computer.

"Look, the police are on their way. We can't let them figure out our plans. Get everyone out there quickly and destroy the evidence!" commanded Cyrus.

"_Oh don't worry, I'm sure Tyranitar is doing a good job destroying the evidence…along with everything else!_" shouted the scientist.

"Don't get smart with me! Just do as I say!"

Soon the transmission ended. Cyrus then turned to Neptune. "Well sir…it's not as bad as when Mewtwo went crazy and destroyed a Team Rocket laboratory, right?' Neptune asked.

"Are you seriously comparing Team Galactic to Team Rocket, a poor excuse of a criminal organization that's led by a teenage boy with red hair whose name is Silver?!?" Cyrus asked, angrily.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Back at the Mount Silver Team Galactic Laboratory, Tyranitar continued his rampage. He used Stone Edge to throw pieces of rocks at the fleeing Team Galactic members. "Run! Quickly!" they shouted.

"_RRROOOOAAARRRR!_" roared Tyranitar. He jumped high in the air and slammed down onto the ground, creating a massive Earthquake. The impact knocked the Team Galactic members off their feet. To make matters worse, the building started to collapse onto them. Pieces of the building fell apart, and the entire structure collapsed onto the defenseless Team Galactic members and Tyranitar.

Once the smoke had cleared, all that was left of the secret laboratory was rubble and debris that surprisingly didn't kill any of the Team Galactic members, though they were severely hurt.

Suddenly, Tyranitar pushed the rumble off his body. Though he was covered in pebbles and dust, he left without a scratch. Tyranitar rubbed his head. "_Whoa…_" he muttered. He then came to his senses and saw the destruction around him. "_What happened to this place?_" he asked himself.

Rather than think about it, Tyranitar got himself up on his feet and began to stomp towards…anywhere. "_Master Jahan…where are you?_" he asked himself.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: Wow…how suspenseful! Drew defeats Harley and moves on to the next round. May will go up against Solidad. The girl with the Vaporeon is cooking up something evil (maybe) for May. And whatever Team Galactic did to Tyranitar has really pissed him off. Man, things are really heating up for May. How will the Blackthorn City Contest end?

Well, read on and find out! Yes, instead of the regular one chapter. This time, I decided to give you all _**TWO**_ chapters instead of just one! You can praise me later, but for now, continue on to the next chapter!


	17. May's First Johto Contest! Part Three

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By narutofreak14

REVIEW REPLIES

Oh right, there are no reviews for the last chapter…at least not yet! Enjoy chapter 18 of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"

**NOTE: **Ummm…there's going to be one word here that's a little one the offensive side. Just letting you know.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Cyndaquil (Ember, Smokescreen, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Somewhere along Route 44**

A small wooden shop was set up alongside Route 44, which sat between Mahogany Town and the Ice Cave. An old man and his grandson ran it and served food to weary Pokémon trainers and travelers alike. They had both a grill and an oven, so they served a variety of foods.

Jahan and his Croconaw stopped by after traversing the Ice Cave. They were having a quiet, decent lunch at this little stand. Jahan was eating a simple grilled cheese sandwich while his Croconaw gnawed at several apples. Jahan and the old man continued to participate in small talk.

"Like the food?" the old man asked.

"It's okay," Jahan replied. "You make money on a place like this?"

"We get by," replied the old man.

"I like that in a place like this. _You barely get money to pay the bills but you don't care. You have your own shop_."

Things were quiet until Croconaw grabbing its throat, gasping for air. "Um…kid, I think your Pokémon is choking," the old man said.

Jahan calmly looked to his Croconaw and slapped his back several times until the food went down his throat. Croconaw took several deep breaths. "Croconaw, you have teeth that are as sharp as a sword. Use them to chew!" Jahan scolded.

"_Sorry_," apologized Croconaw.

Croconaw then looked at the little suspended television in the corner of the shop. "_Jahan, look!_" he said.

Jahan turned to the screen and saw that the headlines read "Team Galactic Base Found". "Team Galactic?!?" Jahan asked, frantically.

"Are they in the news again?" asked the old man.

"Turn it up!" commanded Jahan.

The old man reached for the remote and turned the volume up so that it could be audible to everyone.

"_Well Team Galactic is once again at large_," said Anchorwoman Marsha. "_Good morning everyone, I'm Anchorwoman Marsha and he is what's making news today in Johto. Everyone nearby Mount Silver felt a rather large earthquake last night. As it turns out, a Team Galactic base has erupted and collapsed on itself. The earthquake was reported to be at a Magnitude seven point one. Fortunately, other than the Team Galactic base, no injuries or damages have been reported. Nonetheless, seventy-three Team Galactic members have been reported to a nearby hospital in critical condition._"

"Good, those bastards deserve to be hospitalized," commented Jahan.

"_We are receiving confirmation that the collapse of the Team Galactic base was caused by a rampaging Tyranitar's Earthquake attack. We still have no word on whether that Tyranitar is Team Galactic's Pokémon or somebody else's that they stole. Johto News Bulletin will keep you updated as we receive more information._"

"_Alright!_" shouted Croconaw, happily. "_I told you Tyranitar would escape eventually._"

Suddenly, Jahan got up from his seat and threw a few bills towards the old man. "We got to run! Thanks for the food, old man!" Jahan said, frantically. "Come on Croconaw. We got to hurry!"

Jahan and Croconaw then continued back down Route 44, hoping to run into Tyranitar.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Blackthorn City Contest Hall**

"Good morning everybody and welcome to the second round of the Blackthorn City Contest!" announced Jillian Meridian. The fans cheered. Today was the second day of the Blackthorn City Contest. For today, in all categories, the semi-finals and the finals will be settled today.

May was backstage. She would be in the first semi-final battle in the Beauty contest, going up against Solidad. Right now, she was trying her very best not to get nervous or anxious. She really has only gone up against Solidad once in the Kanto Grand Festival, and she lost.

However, thankfully, with some inspiring words from Drew the night before, she was feeling a little pumped up and was confident in her battling skills. Unfortunately, since he was busy with his battles in the Cool category. Nonetheless, May was ready for her next battle. "Okay, I can do this," she muttered to herself. "I've gotten better since last time."

"And now, let us begin the semi-final round of the Beauty Contest! Allow me to introduce first, coming all the way from Pewter City in Kanto, the winner of the Kanto Grand Festival, Solidad!"

The fans cheered as Solidad walked out onto the battlefield. She waved to the fans as she waited in the center of the battlefield. "Next up is her opponent! She has come from Petalburg City in Hoenn and unbelievably actually fought against Solidad in the Kanto Grand Festival. Boy, are we in for a treat! Give it up for May!" announced Jillian.

May stepped out into the open in front of the screaming fans. Lately, she has been very popular. She waved to the fans as she met Solidad in the center of the battlefield. "May, to be honest, I've been waiting to battle you again as soon as I heard that you beat Clair the gym leader," Solidad told her.

"Solidad, last time we battled, you beat me. It's not going to happen again," said May.

"I'm not going to go easy on you," warned Solidad.

"When did you start?" May asked.

After their little exchange of words, May and Solidad then went to opposite sides of the battlefield. Their names, contest points, and five minutes were placed onto the scoreboard. Both Solidad and May had their Poké Balls ready. "Take the stage, Blaziken!" May shouted as she threw her Poké Ball into the air. Blaziken popped out and landed inside the battlefield. He was ready to battle.

"Slowbro, let's go!" Solidad shouted. The Poké Ball was thrown into the air and opened up. A mellow Slowbro then popped out into the battlefield. He sat down on the battlefield with a dimwitted expression on his face.

**Beauty Contest: Round Two: May VS Solidad**

"Let the semi-final battle between May and Solidad begin!" shouted the referee.

"Blaziken, start off with Blaze Kick!" commanded May.

Blaziken ran towards Slowbro, his feet engulfed in fire. For some reason, Solidad did not give Slowbro a command to attack or anything. She just smiled to herself. Then, Blaziken's flaming feet landed on Slowbro's head. The fans gasped as Solidad's points went down a bit (**TIME-4:49**).

Blaziken looked at Slowbro, who just looked back at him smiling. "_Ummm…Slowbro?_" Blaziken asked. Slowbro continued looking at him with a blank stare. He then turned his head towards Solidad. "_I could have sworn this chicken had done something to me,_" Slowbro said.

"_Huh?_" Blaziken asked.

"Um…Blaziken, use Sky Uppercut!" commanded May.

Blaziken's right first glowed brightly. He lunged towards Slowbro and punched him upward in his chin. Slowbro was sent flying into the air. "Slowbro, time for a combo! Use Rain Dance!"

While facing the roof of the arena, Slowbro shot out black smoke from his mouth. Suddenly, the smoke expanded and grew bigger. It looked like a rain cloud.

Blaziken and May watched as drops of water fell from the rain cloud in the sky. The black cloud hid Slowbro from view. "_What is this?_" Blaziken asked as his fur was becoming more and more soaked (**TIME-4:35**).

"Now use with Water Pulse!" demanded Solidad.

Suddenly, Slowbro titled his body so that he was facing downwards to the ground. He then created a ball of water in his mouth and shoot it out towards Blaziken. "Blaziken, watch out!" May shouted. Blaziken saw the Water Pulse coming right for him and he quickly backed away.

"Now Slowbro, finish it off with a Zen Headbutt!"

The top of Slowbro's head glowed a bright blue as he emerged from the clouds and fell towards Blaziken.

Blaziken looked up. Slowbro headbutted him in the stomach and tackled him into the ground, creating a small crater into the battlefield. "Wow…that was quite a risky technique, but it paid off for Slowbro!" Jillian announced.

May's points significantly decreased. May was now more than halfway to losing the contest while Solidad had only lost a couple of points. May bit her nails as she looked up at the scoreboard. **The time was now at four minutes and ten seconds**. May was beginning to panic. She had to do something or else she will lose her first Johto contest.

The battlefield was becoming soaked from the Rain Dance. Blaziken was severally weakened by the rain. "Hang in there Blaziken!" May shouted.

"Sorry May, but it is a contest and I want that Ribbon Cup as much as you," commented Solidad. "Slowbro, finish her with Blizzard!"

Slowbro opened its mouth once more and a fury of snow was unleashed towards Blaziken. The snow and rain blinded Blaziken as he tried to run towards Slowbro. "Blaziken, stop Slowbro and use Flamethrower!" May commanded.

Blaziken saw Slowbro and unleashed a stream of fire, but it was no good. The fire was weakened by the ice and the rain. "No!" May shouted. "There's got to be something I can do!"

**The time was at three minutes and fifty-six minutes**. May saw that Blizzard had decreased her points. Now she was a quarter-of-the-way to losing the contest. Then, May thought of an idea. "Blaziken, use Earthquake!" shouted May.

Blaziken lifted his leg up and slammed it down, shaking the ground violently. The Earthquake made Slowbro stumble on his feet, thus ending his Blizzard attack.

Slowbro fell off his feet, but he quickly got back on his feet. He looked out at the rainy battlefield, but Blaziken was nowhere to be seen.

"Now Blaziken, use Sky Uppercut!" shouted May.

Slowbro quickly looked around. Still no sign of Blaziken! Slowbro was confused. Suddenly, somebody tapped Slowbro on his shoulder. Slowbro slowly turned around and Blaziken punched him in his chin, sending him sky high once again. Blaziken jumped off the arena wall and flew up to where Slowbro was. "Now Blaziken, use Blaze Kick!" commanded May.

Blaziken's foot erupted into flames, though it was somewhat hampered by the rain. Nonetheless, Blaziken got a good flame going, with a simple front flip, kicked Slowbro in the stomach, and created yet _**another**_ crater into the battlefield. "Wow! These two are really giving it everything they got!" announced Jillian.

The Earthquake/Sky Uppercut/Blaze Kick combination had actually caused Solidad's points to decrease. Now she was about the same as May. Whoever makes the next move will win! **The time is now at three minutes even.**

May and Solidad watched as both Slowbro and Blaziken were struggling to get to their feet. The rain was starting to lighten up, much to Blaziken's happiness. "_Blaziken, how are you still able to stand?_" thought May.

Blaziken was relieved that the rain had finally stopped. He shook off as much water as he could from his fur. Slowbro was still struggling to get back up. "Now's your chance Blaziken! Use Flamethrower!" May shouted

Blaziken reared his head. Now with the rain gone, he was able to unleash a powerful stream of fire from its mouth towards Slowbro. "Slowbro, stop him and use Water Pulse!" Solidad commanded.

Before Flamethrower hit Slowbro, Slowbro unleashed a ball of water towards the Flamethrower, canceling it out. While the ball of water and the smoke from Flamethrower was still dissipating, Solidad shouted, "Now use Zen Headbutt!"

Slowbro's head glowed brightly as it ran towards Blaziken. "Blaziken, dodge and use Blaze Kick!" commanded May.

Slowbro was about to Headbutt Blaziken, but Blaziken quickly spun around and kicked him in the head with a blazing Blaze Kick. The impact stopped Slowbro in his tracks. He slumped down Blaziken's foot, knocked out.

"Slowbro is unable to battle! The winner of this round is May!" the referee announced.

"We did it? We won?!?" May asked, happily.

The fans cheered loudly as Blaziken rubbed his foot from the Zen Headbutt. Despite him doing more damage, his foot was still hurting. May jumped up and hugged Blaziken. "We did it! We're closer to winning the Blackthorn City Contest!" she shouted, happily.

"_Well…alright_," Blaziken said, exhausted from his battle.

While May and Blaziken were celebrating, Solidad was tending to her unconscious Slowbro. "Slowbro, are you okay?" asked Solidad.

Slowbro said nothing. "_What just happened? Did we win?_" he asked.

"No, we didn't," replied Solidad.

"_Ah man,_" Slowbro muttered, quietly. "_I really did my best this time!_"

"I know…but Blaziken was better this time," Solidad said. She then turned to May. "She really has grown a lot," she commented softly.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

During the next semi-final battle, May was backstage. Using a hairdryer, she dried out Blaziken's soaked fur from Rain Dance. "_Ah…that feels so good,_" Blaziken muttered. "_After that battle, I realized that…I hate Rain Dance!_"

"Hopefully, you won't have to deal with that again," May said to him.

After drying out Blaziken's fur, the two stepped outside into the Contest Hall bright hallways. They reunited with the rest of May's team, who waited near the food stands. Drew, Solidad, and Harley were also there, waiting for her.

"Hey guys!" called out May.

"Hey May," replied Drew. "I heard about you battle against Solidad. Great job!"

"You really have grown since we last battled," Solidad said. "I for one think it's a good thing."

"Thanks!" May replied happily. "How about you, Harley?"

Harley said nothing. He just waved May away. "He's still upset that he lost to Drew," explained Solidad.

"I'm sure he cheated somewhere," muttered Harley.

"What a sore loser," Drew replied back.

"So, did anyone see the semi-final battle for the Beauty contest?" May asked. She had no idea since she was busy blow-drying Blaziken's fur.

"It just ended about a few seconds ago," Solidad said.

"You're final opponent is going to be some rich girl from Goldenrod City. She's very popular among a lot of Coordinators," explained Drew.

"Her Vaporeon seems pretty powerful. She took out her opponent in only one minute," added Harley.

"_A Vaporeon? Another water Pokémon?!?_" Blaziken asked, worriedly. "_Wait…does this Vaporeon know Rain Dance?_"

"The arena was pretty wet when she finished her battle," answered Drew.

"_No! Somebody upstairs must really hate me_," complained Blaziken.

"Come on Blaziken, I'm sure we can beat her," May said, trying to cheer up Blaziken.

"I don't know," Solidad said. "I don't want to worry you May, but this girl was pretty resourceful. She defeated her opponent right after the time started."

"Just be careful on what you're dealing with," warned Harley.

Suddenly, an announcement came over the loudspeakers. "_Attention all Pokémon Coordinators, the final battle for each category is about to begin. All competitors please report to your respective battlefields immediately._"

"Well, I got to go to my battlefield," Drew said.

"Yeah, me too," replied May.

"Ah…are you two sad that your significant other is going away?" Harley asked, playfully.

The two just glared at him, scaring him a bit. "Ummm…good luck to both of you!" Harley said, nervously. The four then went their separate ways.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Alright everyone, the moment is here!" Jillian announced. "At the end of this battle, we'll determine the winner of the Blackthorn Beauty Contest! We are down to our final two, both of which are some promising Coordinators. Let me first introduce to you, May from Petalburg City!"

May, once again, walked out onto the stage and waved to the fans. The fans were excited to see what May brings out in the final battle. "And now, a Coordinating veteran from Goldenrod City, the ever-popular Valerie!" Jillian announced.

The fans cheered as the mysterious black-haired girl that wore a blue dress walked out onto the stage. She was a very beautiful person. She looked to be the same age as May. Her long curly black hair draped down her back and shoulders and the blue dress she wore was very elegant as it shimmered down her body.

May and Valerie met each other in the center of the battlefield. "May…from Petalburg City…" Valerie muttered to May. "Believe it or not, I have always wanted to meet you ever since you defeated Clair the gym leader."

"Really?" May asked.

"Yes," replied Valerie. "You're becoming very popular…even though all you're doing is just battling gym leaders and taking part in contests, but I guess you have to do something to make yourself feel special."

May and Valerie reached into their pockets and took out their Poké Balls. "Blaziken, let's take the stage!" May shouted, happily.

The Poké Ball opened up and Blaziken jumped out, ready for the second battle of the day. "Hmph! That entrance was mediocre at best," insulted Valerie. "Check this out! Vaporeon, enter the spotlight now!"

Valerie threw the Poké Ball up in the air. When it opened, many blue and pink bubbles were released, wowing the crowd. Vaporeon then landed into the battlefield, also ready for battlefield. "Wow…how did you do that thing with the bubbles?" May asked.

"They're called Seals," answered Valerie. "I imported them from the Sinnoh region. If you don't know about that, then you're definitely don't belong here in Johto."

Blaziken and Vaporeon stared each other down. "_Did you see me take care of those two other Water-type Pokémon that I battled?_" asked Blaziken. "_What makes you different from them?_"

"_Unlike them I'm actually going to defeat you,_" Vaporeon replied.

"_Is that the best the best trash-talk you got?_"

Soon, both May and Valerie's face appeared on the scoreboard, along with their contest points and five minutes on the clock.

**Beauty Contest: Final Round: May VS Valerie**

"The final battle between May and Valerie…begin!" the referee shouted.

"Vaporeon, use Rain Dance!" commanded Valerie.

"Oh no! We're not starting with that!" argued May. "Blaziken, stop Vaporeon with Earthquake!"

"_Way ahead of you!_" Blaziken said to May.

Blaziken slammed his foot on the ground, creating an Earthquake that rattled the arena and Vaporeon. The craters that appeared before Vaporeon knocked her off her feet. "Now Blaziken, remember the move you did in the Appeal Round?" asked May.

"_Do I?!?_" replied Blaziken.

First, Blaziken reared its head and used his Flamethrower to create a giant fireball. Once it was big enough, Blaziken's foot catches on fire. Blaziken kicked the fireball with a Blaze Kick sending it forward into Vaporeon. The fireball send small sparks into the audience, but thankfully no one was burned.

"Amazing!" announced Jillian. "May's Blaziken used the same technique he did in the Appeal round and turned it into an attack! Is there anything this duo can't do?"

Valerie looked up and saw that her points have went down a quarter. **The time was now at four minutes and forty-four seconds.** Valerie was infuriated at looking at her points. "_There is no way I'm going to lose to…her!_" she thought, angrily. She looked and saw that Vaporeon was getting back on her feet. "Vaporeon, no more Mister-Nice-Girl!" she shouted. "Use Surf now!"

"_Surf?_" Blaziken asked.

Suddenly, Vaporeon opened its mouth and flooded the entire arena with water. "_I don't like this,_" commented Blaziken, as the water doused his feet. Blaziken was surprised when a giant shadow was cast over him. He looked up and saw Vaporeon, riding on top of a big tidal wave. "_Oh boy_," groaned Blaziken.

"Now Vaporeon, use a furry of Water Pulse!" Valerie commanded.

Before the entire wave crashed down, Vaporeon jumped down from the wave to her side of the field and unleashed several balls of water towards Blaziken. The balls of water caused the tidal wave to turn into a horizontal cyclone, making both Surf and Water Pulse even more powerful than they usually were. It sort of created a water tunnel of sorts. "Vaporeon, finish the combo with Giga Impact!" Valerie announced.

Vaporeon glowed purple and yellow as it charged at Blaziken, all while riding the 'water tunnel'.

"Oh dear, this isn't good," Jillian announced. "Valerie has used this technique before. It is her infamous 'Aqua Knockout' combination."

"Oh no!" May shouted.

The three attacks combined and did massive damage to Blaziken. The water from Surf hit first, then the three Water Pulses, and finally Vaporeon added extra damage with Giga Impact. Blaziken suffered critical damage. The impact sends Blaziken flying and crashing into May. The fans gasped at the fallen Blaziken.

Valerie just smirked as May checked on Blaziken. "Blaziken, Blaziken! Are you okay?!?" May asked, worriedly. Blaziken tried to perk his head up, but to no avail. "_That Vaporeon…what an opponent,_" he groaned. He then fell unconscious.

"Blaziken is unable to continue battling!" the referee announced. "The winner of the Blackthorn City Beauty Contest is Valerie from Goldenrod City!"

"Of course I am," boasted Valerie.

The fans cheered loudly as Valerie blew kisses into the audience. May fell to her knees right beside her unconscious Blaziken. Right now, she was feeling disappointed with herself. "I…I don't understand…" May muttered, sadly. "We did so well lately. Where did we go wrong?"

The fans continued cheering as the crewmembers of 'Johto Today' swarmed around Valerie. Roxanna quickly shoved a microphone into her face.

"Congratulations Valerie! You are the winner of the Blackthorn City Beauty Contest! You are one step closer to winning the Ribbon Cup from the Johto Grand Festival! How are you feeling right now?" asked Roxanna.

"Well, what I can say," replied Valerie. "Winning a ribbon always gives me a thrill. Knowing that I've accomplished something great gives me a sense of…accomplishment."

Valerie then turned to May, who was now returning her Blaziken into his Poké Ball. "I'm feeling sorry for May," she continued. "But she did put up a great performance, even though it only lasted for a minute. But it just goes to show that my 'Aqua Knockout' performance is still a knock-out."

"And those are the words from the winner of the Beauty contest here in Blackthorn City," reported Roxanna. "_**Johto Today**_ will continue our coverage on the other categories after a word from our sponsors!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After the interview, the award ceremony took place in the arena, where the ribbons for each category were given out to the winners of each category.

However May didn't go out and see the award ceremony (even though Drew won the Cool Ribbon). Instead, she was in the locker room, tending to Blaziken's wounds. Her other Pokémon were there, trying to support both Blaziken and May.

Blaziken lied on its back, groaning in pain. "_Remember when I said I hated Rain Dance?_" Blaziken asked, groggily. "_Surf is a pain too…and so is Water Pulse. Pretty much every Water-type move…_"

May continued to stare at the ground, depressed. Munchlax, Cyndaquil, Eevee, and Wartortle were doing their best to try to cheer her up. "_May,_" began Cyndaquil. "_You shouldn't be sad. I mean, there's going to be another contest right?_"

"_Yeah, and next time you can use me!_" Wartortle said. "_I'll do the things that Blaziken can't…_"

At that moment, Blaziken mustered as much strength as he could to pick up Wartortle and send him flying across the locker room. The other Pokémon paid no attention.

Then, the door to the locker room opened. And who would be on the other side of the door, but Valerie and her Vaporeon.

"_You!_" Cyndaquil shouted, angrily. She got onto her feet and her back ignited in flames. She was ready to fight. Eevee and Munchlax went up and tried to calm down Cyndaquil. Valerie stepped closer to May. "What do you want?" May asked. "Did you come here to show off your Beauty Ribbon?"

"Actually, I'm here for a different reason," Valerie replied

Valerie then leaned in closer towards May's left ear. She suddenly grabbed May's chin and squeezed it tightly. "Don't get conceited, you little bitch!" Valerie whispered, harshly. May was shocked by her actions. "These people only like you because you're challenging both gym leaders and contests and apparently that's something they never seen before. This little publicity stunt you're doing is giving you some popularity. Since you lost to me, no one will think you're special. You'll be forced to go back to…wherever it is that you came from."

"_That's it! I'm mad!_" shouted Cyndaquil.

Cyndaquil then unleashed a series of small fireballs at Valerie. Valerie quickly ducked to avoid the Ember flying at her. Unfortunately (for her), Cyndaquil managed to light her dress on fire. Valerie quickly panicked, trying to put the fire out. "_I'll help you out!_" teased Wartortle. He then unleashed a powerful Water Gun towards Valerie.

Valerie was now soaked and her dress burned. May and her Pokémon continued to laugh at her. "Stop laughing at me!" she shouted, angrily.

"_That was for bad-mouthing my trainer!_" Cyndaquil said.

"Oh yeah May, just laugh it up! But the next time you lose to me, you'll have no choice but to go back home a disgraced Coordinator!" shouted Valerie.

"Well, we'll see about next time," replied May.

Valerie then turned around and headed out the door. May and her Pokémon giggled again. Valerie turned around, not knowing what they were laughing at…until she looked down at herself and saw that Cyndaquil burned enough of her dress that her underwear was showing. She held her dress together, trying to hide her underwear from everyone. She then stormed out of the room.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**THE NEXT MORNING…**

After getting a good night's rest at the Blackthorn City Pokémon Center, May packed her bags and headed outside into the field. She walked to the outskirt of Blackthorn City. She looked down the dirt path.

"Hey, wait up!" shouted a voice.

May turned around and saw Drew and Bayleef running towards her. "Drew?" May asked.

Drew stopped before her, breathing heavily. "Are you leaving to Mahogany Town already?" Drew asked.

"Yeah, I've done all I can in Blackthorn City. It's time to move on to the next town," May replied.

"Well, since I'm going over there anyway, how about you and I travel there together?" Drew asked.

"You and me?" May asked him.

"Yeah, I mean…why not?" Drew asked. "We're both going to same way…and we could use some traveling partners. What do you say?"

"Well…I guess that would be okay," replied May. "Let's go."

Eventually, May and Drew joined together and they both walked down the dirt path towards Mahogany Town.

May had won her Rising Badge from Clair and she sadly lost the Blackthorn Contest. But to her that's okay. Even if she did lose the contest, she'll get better. She did lose her gym battles against Clair, but she bounced back and eventually beat her.

May and Drew were both looking forward to the Mahogany Town, where the next contest and gym are located.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: Wow that was a mental workout! You all had better enjoyed it! Quite a few developments took place. We have a new rival (Valerie), May has a new traveling partner (Drew) (which I bet a lot of you Contestshipping fans will enjoy), and she's now heading for another goal.

It might take a while for the next chapter to appear. Now only do I need a break from these two chapters, but I'm also about to start college at Cal State San Bernardino. Who knows how much time that'll take from me!

**NEXT TIME:**

May and Drew continue down the route towards Mahogany Town. Suddenly, an epidemic spreads throughout May's team. Cyndaquil, completely jealous at her friend Bayleef, wants to evolve into Quilava, just so that she can compare to Bayleef and Croconaw. Eevee, tired of being left out of many battles, wants to evolve as well. And Wartortle wants to evolve…just because he wants to be stronger.

Everyone wants to evolve on May's team! How will May deal with this?

Find out in the next somewhat mellow chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"!


	18. Evolution Confusion!

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By MisterAnimeFan

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**Just to let everyone know, I have changed my penname from 'narutofreak14' to 'MisterAnimeFan'! I decided to make this change since I'm no longer just a fan of Naruto (that and since I haven't wrote any Naruto fanfictions in a while or seen the show in a long time).**

**I hope this doesn't make anything confusing.**

**Thank you!**

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

REVIEW REPLIES

**Shiningheart of ThunderClan: **Wartortle and Cyndaquil teaming up? That's a rare sight indeed!

**Fire Drastar: **I thought it would be a neat idea to have Blaziken take on several water Pokémon, just show how tough he can be.

**PerlaNemesis: **Yes, Silver (the same Silver from Pokémon Gold and Silver) is now the new leader of Team Rocket. I explained that in chapter two, Team Galactic assassinated Giovanni (I know, very dark). Being that Silver is Giovanni's son, he took over…and he promoted Jessie and James (and fired Butch and Cassidy).

**Arysd: **I really do wish that this could be turned into an anime series (like Pokémon Chronicles), but there's a lot of stuff that would not be considered child-friendly.

**Psyche's Rose: **A love triangle between Drew and May and…someone else would be a good idea. I know that I may have made Drew and Harley a little OOC, but like I mentioned somewhere before, I have never seen a Pokémon episode that had Drew or Harley in it (except for the last episode of the Kanto Battle Frontier episodes). I might add a few sarcastic comments.

**Katy Bella: **Thanks for the review. I really do hope that the slower updates won't be a problem with anyone else. And I agree with you with Drew and him not making fun of May. Besides, they aren't really in competition against each other anymore because their in different contest categories.

Overall, thank you all so much for your comments. I'm really glad that Valerie is a rival that people would want to see again (and you will…along with Jahan).

Now onto chapter 19. Do you all remember what the chapter preview said? That's still going to happen…just not right now. I actually came up with this storyline in a brainstorming I had during my calculus class. I hope you guys enjoy it!

Now, moving onto chapter 19.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Cyndaquil (Ember, Smokescreen, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

And seeing as how Drew is now traveling with May, it's best if I added his Pokémon as well.

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

Some of Drew's Pokémon were sent back to the lab in order to make room for Johto Pokémon.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Mahogany Town**

There was a small Pokémon Market that sat in between the Mahogany Gym and the Contest Hall. It sold everything from Pokémon Food to healing items, such as Potions or Full Heals. An elderly man ran it.

But today, he got a special visitor: Jessie, James, Meowth, and Silver. He was a little intimidated, since all of them looked like criminals. He was shaking nervously. "Look, I don't know what you hooligans want, but I'm not going out without a fight," the old man shivered.

"Take it easy, old geezer," Silver said. "I'm just here to check out your store."

The four then turned to a corner of the store. Jessie and James then felt along the cracks of the tiles. The old man was a little confused. "Um…sir, I don't see how this works," James said.

"Just keep looking," order Silver. "I know it exists. I've been here once before."

Suddenly, Jessie's fingers slipped through a crack. "I think I found something," she muttered.

Silver turned to James. "You still have the suitcase?" he asked.

James nodded and placed a metal briefcase on the counter. Silver opened the locks and inside the briefcase…was 1,000,000 Pokédollars. The old man was so excited to see so much money. "My goodness…" he muttered.

"He's the deal," said Silver. "This money is yours. All you have to do is sell us your shop."

"Deal!" the old man said, happily.

Silver and the old man shook hands as Silver handed him the money. "Now I hate to rush people, but could I ask you to gather your things and get out of here by 12 o clock noon?" asked Silver.

"Hey no problem!" the old man said. He reached into the counter drawers and gave the keys to Silver. "The place is all yours!"

The old man then took off with his money and ran out the door. "I would never think that we would do something nice for old people," commented James.

"Well, when you're waging war against Team Galactic, sometimes it helps to give back…especially if you're getting something in return," explained Silver. "Now where's that secret stairway?"

"Right here," answered Jessie.

Jessie, James, and Silver slipped their fingers into the cracks. They held on and lifted up an entire piece of the floor, revealing a secret stairway. "Wow…da secret hideout is actually still here!" Meowth said.

The four cautiously walked down the stairs down to the old Team Rocket hideout. It was dusty with dust balls everywhere. The machines looked old and worn-down. "Wow…this place is a dump," commented Jessie, as she kicked up some dust.

"A wonderful observation, Jessie," Silver replied. He then handed her a broom. "What's this?" asked Jessie.

"What do you mean what's this?" Silver asked. "You three are going to be cleaning up this place."

"What?!? Just us three?!?" they angrily complained.

"Of course not just you three," explained Silver. "I'm going to call the other members and tell them to get here, pronto!"  
"But…until then, it's just us cleaning up right?" asked James.

"If you're going to keep complaining, I could just fire you like I did Cassidy and Bob," threatened Silver.

James and Meowth grabbed a few cleaning supplies and joined Jessie. "Trust me guys, its hard work, but we'll restore this place to its former glory and then some!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: ROUTE 44**

Drew and May continued walking down the dirt road from Blackthorn City to the Ice Path, which would eventually lead to Mahogany Town, where the next contest and gym battle will take place.

May was telling Drew about how Valerie confronted her back at the Blackthorn City Contest Hall. "She continued squeezing my chin and threatening me. She's convinced that what I am doing was some publicity stunt I'm doing to get some popularity. I'm grateful for Cyndaquil and Wartortle. They really showed her that we weren't afraid of her!"

"I can't believe that girl Valerie would do something like that," Drew said. "I'm guessing she's one of those girls who must have the camera on her at all times."

"But something about her interested me," May said. "She just reminds me of someone I know before."

"Really?"

Drew and May both began pondering. "Hmmm…well, she doesn't like you doing either contests or gyms," Drew pondered.

"She seems really arrogant and thinks everyone likes her," continued May.

"And her Pokémon are really strong."

The two then suddenly stopped. Their eyes opened wide. They grabbed their heads and shouted into the air. "OH NO! SHE'S JUST LIKE JAHAN!" they both shouted, as they could both imagine Jahan and his smug look.

"Great, I can't believe that we have somebody else who is just as big of a jerk as Jahan," complained May.

"Can you imagine if Jahan and Valerie get together and become a couple?" asked Drew.

"Ah! No! I don't want to think about that!" protested May. "Let's talk about something else!"

"Okay," replied Drew. "Calm down."

The two continued down the road. "So May, how many Pokémon have you caught yet?" asked Drew.

"Pokémon?" asked May. "Well…I haven't really caught any Pokémon yet…but…I got a Cyndaquil!"

"You were _**given**_ a Cyndaquil," corrected Drew.

"Well, excuse me!" May shouted. "But did _**you **_catch any new Pokémon in Johto?"

"Um…well…I've been pretty wrapped up…" muttered Drew.

"So…you haven't caught any new Pokémon yet?" May asked.

"Well…no," Drew finally answered.

May pumped her fist and stared down the road. "Well, if I'm going to take on the gym leader of the next town, I better add some new power to my team!" May shouted proudly. "It's time that I caught some new Pokémon!"

She then sat her bag down and began looking around. "Now, where to start?" she asked herself.

"Are you looking for something in particular?" asked Drew.

"Just anything that seems really special," May said.

She continued scanning the woods and the nearby pond for any Pokémon that she could see herself using. All she could see were Magikarp, Poliwag, Remoraid, Hoppip, and a couple of Pidgey. Nothing that really stands out.

Suddenly, May saw a small Bug-type Pokémon covered in leaves. It was hanging from a tree. "Oh!" she shouted. "That looks really cool!" She took out her PokéDex and looked it up.

**POKÉDEX ENTRY: BURMY**

**The Bagworm Pokémon**

_To shelter itself from cold, wintry winds, it covers itself in a cloak made from twigs and leaves. Even if it is born where there are no cocooning materials, it somehow always ends up with a cloak._

"Interesting," Drew said. "I haven't seen it before, so it must have migrated from the Sinnoh region."

"I want it!" May shouted, happily.

She reached into her pocket and took out a Poké Ball. "Go Cyndaquil!" she shouted as she threw it high in the air. It opened up and out came a Cyndaquil, ready for battle! "Alright Cyndaquil, you see that Burmy hanging from the trees? Use Ember now!"

Cyndaquil's back erupted in flames as she unleashed a series of small fireballs towards Burmy. But suddenly, a green shield surrounded Burmy, protecting him from any damage. May and Cyndaquil were annoyed by this. "What?!? None of the attacks worked?" May asked.

"Of course not," commented Drew. "It used Protect."

"I know what it used!" snapped May.

"Whoa! Excuse me," replied Drew.

May turned back to Burmy, which was still hanging on a tree branch. "Use Ember again!" May shouted to Cyndaquil.

Cyndaquil released another set of fireballs at Burmy. Burmy again used Protect to shield itself from Cyndaquil's attacks. May was becoming frustrated. "It's just going to keep using Protect every time you use Ember," commented Drew.

"I knew that!" May shouted, angrily.

"Apparently, you don't if you're still trying to use Ember," Drew replied.

May focused back on Burmy. She started thinking of an idea that would catch Burmy off-guard so that it couldn't use Protect. Finally, it came to her. "Cyndaquil, use Smokescreen!" she shouted.

Cyndaquil opened its mouth and released a thick, black smoke that covered the entire forest. Burmy looked around confused. "Now use Ember!" May commanded. Cyndaquil then unleashed a series of fireballs for the third time at Burmy. This time, Burmy was knocked off the branch as it fell onto the ground below. "Alright, we got him!" May shouted, happily. She waited for the black smoke to clear away before she reached into her pockets for an empty Poké Ball. "Alright, Poké Ball, go!" May shouted.

It looked as if Burmy was going to be caught, but suddenly Burmy kicked itself up and ran away as soon as the Poké Ball landed. "Hey, wait a minute!" May shouted.

"_Come back here!_" shouted Cyndaquil. Both May and Cyndaquil ran into the forest to try and keep up with Burmy. "Hold on May!" Drew shouted, before chasing after her.

May and Cyndaquil chased after Burmy, as it scooted and hopped its way through the forest. "Come back, Burmy!" May shouted. It was no good. Burmy wouldn't give up. Suddenly, Burmy ducked beneath a trench. May and Cyndaquil hopped right over him and continued on their way. "Where is he?" asked May, looking around.

"_He couldn't have gone far,_" replied Cyndaquil. "_It's such a tiny thing._"

They then continued on their way, not knowing that Burmy was hiding right behind him.

May and Cyndaquil continued running into the forest, until they noticed that yellow bugs with wings were becoming more apparent as they ran through the forest. "What are these things?" asked May.

"_Little annoying bugs, that's what they are,_" complained Cyndaquil, as she tried to swat away the bugs. May pulled out her PokéDex.

**POKÉDEX ENTRY: COMBEE**

**The Tiny Bee Pokémon**

_A Pokémon formed by three others, it constantly gathers honey from flowers to please Vespiquen. At night, they cluster to former a beehive and sleep._

"So, these things are collecting honey for something called a Vespiquen?" May asked. She looked around and noticed so many of the Combee flying around. "Wow…now that I know a little more about them, I think they're kind of cute," May said.

"_Cute?!? These things are annoying!_" shouted Cyndaquil. Her back ignited in flames and Cyndaquil unleashed a huge stream of fire at the crowd of Combee. "Wait, Cyndaquil…stop!" shouted May.

Cyndaquil paid no attention. She wanted to get rid of these flying pests. But then suddenly, Cyndaquil shot out a stream of fire towards a Bug-type Pokémon that was much bigger than the rest of them. She fell hard towards the ground. At that moment, all of the Combee stopped what they were doing and turned towards the big bug. Their mouths opened wide as several of them came to its aid. Even May was shocked at that.

"_What? I don't get it! What did I do wrong?_" asked Cyndaquil.

Rather than explain, May showed Cyndaquil the PokéDex entry.

**POKÉDEX ENTRY: VESPIQUEN**

**The Beehive Pokémon**

_Its abdomen is a honeycomb for grubs. When endangered, grubs from its six-cell honeycomb strike back. There is only one in a colony._

"_I still don't get it,_" remarked Cyndaquil.

"You just took out their leader!" explained May.

"_Leader?_" asked Cyndaquil.

The Combee swarmed around their fallen queen. "_Vespiquen, are you alright, my queen?_" a Combee asked.

Vespiquen said nothing. She suddenly perked her head up and glared at Cyndaquil. Judging from the look in her eye, she was not happy at all. "_How dare you attack a Pokémon of high royalty!_" she boomed.

The Combee suddenly swarmed in front of May and Cyndaquil. "_You have burned our lovely queen!_" a Combee shouted, angrily.

"_She has not deserved such hatred from you_!" another shouted.

"_Subjects, back in order now!_" commanded Vespiquen.

The Combee then suddenly flew back in line, single-file. Cyndaquil couldn't help but laugh. "_Wow, that was a neat trick_," she laughed. "_What else can they do? Can they play fetch or something?_"

"_Why…yes! As a matter of fact they can,_" answered Vespiquen. "_Royal subjects…fetch…with Attack Order!_"

Suddenly, the Combee turned to May, with their eyes angry red. May and Cyndaquil were a little worried. "Look what you did now!" May scolded Cyndaquil.

"_Hey, take it easy! It was just an accident,_" pleaded Cyndaquil.

Vespiquen didn't care. She and the Combee stared angrily at Cyndaquil and May. "_Prepare to accept your punishment!_" boomed Vespiquen. The Combee eyes were starting to glow red.

"Bayleef, use Razor Leaf now!" Drew shouted.

From out of nowhere, Drew and Bayleef appeared in front of May and Cyndaquil. Bayleef then unleashed a storm of leaves towards the group of Combee. The Combee and Vespiquen were surprised. "_Protect the queen!_" shouted the Combee.

A group of Combee unleashed a psychedelic beam towards their enemies while another group of Combee formed a shield around Vespiquen, protecting her from any oncoming attacks. Bayleef was stunned by the beams, but she shrugged it off. "Now Bayleef, use Vine Whip!" Drew shouted.

Two thick green vines came out from Bayleef's neck. Using them as a whip, Bayleef slapped the Combee aside. "No use Razor Leaf again!" Drew demanded. May and Cyndaquil decided to help. "Cyndaquil, help out Bayleef with Ember!" May demanded.

Cyndaquil unleashed a series of fireballs while Bayleef unleashed a series of razor-sharp leaves towards the group of Combee. The Combee were very small to hit, but they continued to disperse after the attacks.

"_Retreat!_" A Combee shouted. Soon, all of the Combee flew away with the Vespiquen. "Alright!" May shouted, happily.

"They're leaving!" Drew added.

Soon enough, all of the Combee disappeared from sight. Drew and May were relieved. "Are you okay?" asked Drew.

"Yeah, I think so," replied May. "Wow…that was a close call. I hope that Vespiquen and her 'subjects' won't be coming back anytime soon."

"Hopefully."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Deep within the forest, the Combee surrounded Vespiquen, protecting her from anything danger. Vespiquen was still sour about what Cyndaquil did to her. "_I can't believe that meddlesome…thing!_" she complained. "_How dare she disrespects me!_"

"_It's just terrible, my queen,_" the Combee comforted her.

"_It's a shame that you guys didn't fight back!_" shouted Vespiquen.

"_My apologies, but we were outnumbered. And the ally of the enemy caught us by surprise. We were not ready for combat_," the Combee explained.

"_Then, perhaps we shall bite our time and attack when they least expect it,_" commented Vespiquen. "_But until then…you all must heal me!_"

Soon enough, the Combee surrounded the Vespiquen again and shot out a beam of healing towards her.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After their encounter with Vespiquen and the Combee, May and Drew decided to set up camp and let their Pokémon mingle amongst themselves. They both agreed that they had enough Pokémon hunting for one day.

May and Drew both gave out lunch to their Pokémon. Drew and May sat on a nearby log eating boxed lunches that Drew brought with him. "Wow…this stuff is great," said May, happily. "I wish I'd brought something like this with me."

"Yeah, that confuses me," replied Drew. "You brought plenty of food for your Pokémon, but you didn't any for yourself?"

"Well I actually packed a bunch of food for me, but Munchlax ate it all before I even left my room," explained May. "He always does that."

"But I don't get it. If you don't like Munchlax eating your food, why don't you just evolve him into a Snorlax? Snorlax are more painless to deal with than a Munchlax. All they do is sleep."

"True…but when it comes to battles and contests, Munchlax really gives it his best. It'll be hard to do that if he's a thousand pounds," explained May. "I really like my team just the way they are."

Bayleef, Flygon, Masquerain, and Absol sat across from May's team. Cyndaquil couldn't help but to glare at the other team. Bayleef, however, noticed her scowl. "_What's the problem?_" Bayleef asked Cyndaquil.

"_It's nothing,_" replied Cyndaquil. Cyndaquil then pushed her bowl forward.

"_What's wrong?_" asked Blaziken.

"_I'm not really hungry,_" Cyndaquil said.

"_Come on Cyndaquil, tell us what's wrong,_" Wartortle said.

"_Shut up, Wartortle_!" snapped Cyndaquil.

"_What was that about?_" Wartortle asked. "_I try to help you for once and you just throw it back in my face!_"

"_Cyndaquil, I don't understand why you're so angry,_" piped Eevee.

"_Yeah, are you still upset that you're a trainer's Pokémon?_" asked Bayleef.

"_No, I made peace with that,_" Cyndaquil replied. "_I guess I'm just upset about the whole Combee and Vespiquen thing._"

"_Why? It's over now,_" Bayleef said. "_You and I took care of them._"

"_I think you did most of the work. I think they were more scared of you. You looked more intimidating, especially after you evolved,_" explained Cyndaquil.

"_I don't think that was it,_" replied Bayleef. "_Unless…is that what's bugging you?_"

"_It's just that…how come you and Croconaw evolved while I'm still like this?_" Cyndaquil asked, sadly.

"_Well Cyndaquil, I just happened to evolve when Drew and I were hiking up Route 46. I was just battling a lot_," Bayleef explained.

"_I think Croconaw evolved the same way,_" Blaziken added.

"_I was on Route 46 battling Pokémon!_" complained Cyndaquil.

"_Yeah, but you were disobeying May's every command,_" Munchlax said.

"_Oh yeah,_" Cyndaquil said with regret.

"_But you know something, you did battle pretty hard against Clair,_" Blaziken said.

"_Hey ya, I did!_" Cyndaquil said happily. "_You think I got some points for that?_"

"_I doubt that,_" Wartortle said. "_Remember, you lost against Clair._"

"_It was a tie, you dummy!_" shouted Cyndaquil, angrily. "_But maybe if I went up against another Pokémon, I'll earn enough points to evolve!_"

"_Points?!? I don't think that's how it works,_" Bayleef replied.

"_That's how it works in the games_," corrected Flygon.

"_Okay, I'm going to fight against one of you guys!_" Cyndaquil proclaimed, proudly. "_And if I win, I'll evolve and grow stronger. Who wants to fight me?_"

Cyndaquil looked at everyone around her. They all continued to eat their Pokémon food. "_No one wants to fight me?_" Cyndaquil asked. "_Come on, guys! It is a win-win situation for anyone. I'll evolve and you'll evolve too!_"

Cyndaquil then looked at everyone. "_Um…actually,_ _Bayleef's already evolved. Flygon has already evolved. Absol can't evolve. Masquerain has already evolved. Blaziken has already evolved,_" muttered Cyndaquil.

She then looked at her remaining opponents: Wartortle, Eevee, and Munchlax. Wartortle noticed Cyndaquil's look. "_Let's go Cyndaquil! You and me…one-on-one,_" boasted Wartortle.

"_Wartortle, you already evolved!_" protested Cyndaquil.

"_I want to evolve again…into a Blastoise! When I become Blastoise, I shall be unstoppable!_"

"_I'm not battling you! Get over it!_" shouted Cyndaquil.

Cyndaquil then turned to Munchlax. "_How about you, Munchlax?_" asked Cyndaquil._ "Do you want to be a Snorlax?"_

"_No,_" replied Munchlax.

"_That's it? Just no? You're not even going to think about it?_" Cyndaquil asked.

"_If I was a Snorlax, I would be much fatter than I am now. I like to maintain my weight,_" explained Munchlax.

Cyndaquil growled and then looked at Eevee, her only remaining opponent. "_I guess I'll wait patiently_," she sighed.

"_Wait a minute! Why not fight against me?_" Eevee asked, angrily.

"_No offense Eevee, but you'll pretty weak,_" explained Cyndaquil. "_I mean, May hasn't used you for a good reason. If I went up against you, you'll lose within thirty seconds. What special attacks do you have?_"

"_This!_" shouted Eevee.

Before Cyndaquil could continue talking, a Shadow Ball flew into her face and exploded, sending Cyndaquil flying backwards. May and Drew suddenly perked their heads up to see the commotion.

Cyndaquil got up on her feet, but she was suddenly knocked back down when Eevee tackled her in the face. Cyndaquil got up and brushed herself off. "_That was a cheap shot!_" Cyndaquil shouted, angrily. "_But if you want a real fight, I'll give it to you!_"

Eevee and Cyndaquil stared each other down, getting ready to battle. But suddenly, May got in between the two. "What are you guys doing?!?" she asked, angrily. "Eevee, why did you attack Cyndaquil like that?"

"_Because Cyndaquil said I was weak,_" explained Eevee.

"_Well, maybe if you were actually put in a fight, you would be a little stronger,_" taunted Cyndaquil.

"_Now, hold on! Who just attacked you with a Shadow Ball?!?_"

"_I was caught off-guard._"

"Hold on, what's this all about?!?" May asked, angrily.

Cyndaquil and Eevee looked up at May. "_I want to be stronger!_" replied Cyndaquil.

"_I want to be useful!_" added Eevee.

"_We both want to evolve!_" they both shouted.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: I feel like the Vespiquen thing overshadowed the 'Cyndaquil/Eevee' plot, but I felt it to be necessary. I think Vespiquen would be a great Pokémon to May's team…that is, IF she is added to May's team.

**NEXT TIME: **May is a little surprised about what Cyndaquil and Eevee said to her. She didn't know about the two. That night, she talks to the two, hoping to convince them that they are fine the way they are. Unfortunately, they don't buy it. Cyndaquil believes that if she evolves, she'll be stronger. Eevee's convinced that if she evolves, she'll be more useful to May's team.

The conversation is short-lived as the campsite is swarmed by Combee. Looks like Vespiquen has a score to settle.

What will Cyndaquil and Eevee do after this commotion? Will May and Drew's Pokémon be able to get rid of the Combee and Vespiquen? And what about Team Rocket refurbishing their Mahogany Town base?

All this and more in the next heartwarming chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	19. Evolution Resolution!

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By MisterAnimeFan

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

REVIEW REPLIES

**Fire Drastar: **I don't see how Vespiquen reminds you of Jahan and Valerie. I guess her attitude sort of resembles theirs, in a way.

**PerlaNemesis: **May will figure out a way. And about Drew and Roselia, I'll explain in a little bit.

**Arysd: **Jessie and James have been following Ash and Pikachu for how many years? It's time they saw some recognition. The Combee storyline, believe it or not, was actually thought up of at the last minute. I'll consider your idea for a Swablu.

I mentioned in the last chapter that the Combee storyline I came up with during Calculus. Yeah…that wasn't really a smart idea. I bombed a few tests, but I'm back now! To everyone reading: do NOT daydream during Calculus.

Now, quite a few people (and by that, I mean two people) have mentioned that I shouldn't have gotten rid of Drew's Roselia. I have a few reasons about me doing that. I didn't like the idea of Drew having two grass-type Pokémon, so I send Roselia back. I never knew how important it was, seeing as how I never saw a Pokémon episode which he was in.

I can't put Roselia back in right away, but at the next town, she'll return…and she won't be happy with Bayleef.

Now onto chapter 20!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Cyndaquil (Ember, Smokescreen, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Route 44**

Nighttime has fallen over Route 44. May and Drew had stopped by a nearby Pokémon Center. The Pokémon Center stood in the middle of the forest with the mountains behind it. It also conveniently had a hot springs attached to the side.

The Pokémon were playing in the lobby and watching T.V. of the Pokémon Center while Drew and May were inside her room.

"I can't believe how expensive the rooms can get," remarked May.

"What are you complaining about?" asked Drew. "I was the one who paid for it."

"Oh…right…" May muttered, nervously. "Well, sorry about that Drew, but I didn't bring any money. I never realized how much Pokémon food I packed."

"Well, seeing as how you care so much about your Pokémon, what are you doing to do about Eevee and Cyndaquil?" Drew asked. "They both want to evolve. Are you going to let them?"

"Of course I want to them evolve and get stronger, but when the time is right and when they're both ready," replied May.

"I don't think the two want to wait that long. They want to evolve right away."

"Well, I'm going to talk to the two and maybe I'll convince them."

May then bunched a towel and her pajamas. "I'm going to go to the hot springs and relax for a bit," said May.

"You do that," Drew replied.

"I better not catch you peeking!" scolded May.

"Why would I do that?" asked Drew. "Who do you think I am, Jahan?"

May then left the room and headed for the hot springs. "I wonder what he's been up to," wondered Drew.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**SOMEWHERE NEAR MOUNT SILVER…**

It was late at night at Mahogany Town. Jahan and Croconaw were looking around Mount Silver. They both walked sluggishly, exhausted after the near three-hour walk it took them to get here from the Ice Cave. After hearing about his stolen Tyranitar escaping the Team Galactic base, Jahan got up and quickly ran over to his last reported sighting. But so far, the two have found no clues as to where Tyranitar went.

"_Master,_" began Croconaw._ "Not that I don't care about Tyranitar or anything, but I'm ready to call it a day._"

"No! We have to hurry and find Tyranitar before Team Galactic gets back on their feet and capture him again," explained Jahan.

"_But we've been looking for hours and we found nothing_," complained Croconaw.

"I'm not giving up! We are going to search high and low for him!"

The two continued walking around until Jahan saw something that caught his eye. A tree was heavily scratched up…actually, a whole group of trees had visible claw marks on the trees. Jahan inspected it carefully. "_Do you think those are Tyranitar's claws?_" Croconaw asked.

"They have to be," replied Jahan.

"_Then again, it could be another Pokémon with sharp claws._"

Then, a loud roar echoed in the air. Jahan and Croconaw were both surprised. "_There's no doubt about it…that's Tyranitar all right,_" said Croconaw.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**SOMEWHERE NEAR LAKE OF RAGE…**

At the Lake of Rage, near Mahogany Town, a large Tyranitar was stomping his way through the forest. However, Tyranitar grabbed his head and roared in agony. "_My head…_" he groaned.

Suddenly, his eyes glowed brightly and he began to feel stronger than he was before. "_MASTER!_" he shouted. He opened his mouth and let out a huge and powerful Hyper Beam attack towards his surroundings. He continued roaring as he annihilated the trees around him. Some of the smaller Pokémon quickly ran for cover and away from Tyranitar.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**BACK AT ROUTE 44 POKÉMON CENTER…**

All of May and Drew's Pokémon were in the Pokémon Center, either sleeping, resting, or watching the television set that was set up in the lobby.

Blaziken and Munchlax were actually the only ones watching the television. Cyndaquil was sulking right besides the two. "_What is May going to say about what I told her,"_ wondered Cyndaquil.

"_Oh come on!_" Blaziken shouted at the T.V.

"_Stupid trainer!"_ added Munchlax. "_A bag of_ _Pokémon Food doesn't cause that much!_"

"_Are you two even listening to me?!?_" Cyndaquil asked, angrily.

May then appeared. She turned to Cyndaquil. "Hey Cyndaquil, how would you like to share a hot bath with me?" asked May. "You don't have to get in the water. Just enjoy the steam."

Cyndaquil said nothing to her. She got off the couch and joined May as she walked towards the hot baths. "_Maybe Cyndaquil will finally get her answer,_" Blaziken said. He then turned back to the television.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After undressing, May opened the door to the steam room and stepped inside, with nothing but a towel wrapped around her body. Once she stepped inside, she felt the heat immediately as some of the steam escaped from the room. She shut the door behind her, removed her towel, and then submerged herself in the hot water. "Ahhh…" May sighed, heavily. "This feels so good."

Cyndaquil sat down beside her. Being a Fire-type Pokémon, she didn't really like swimming. However, she did like the hot steam. In fact, all Fire-type Pokémon were like this.

"You like this, Cyndaquil?" asked May. "It feels great after hours of hiking."

Cyndaquil said nothing, but she instead was breathing in the steam. "Well, you're very quiet, aren't you?" May asked. Again, Cyndaquil didn't reply back. May leaned up against the wall. "Look Cyndaquil, I know you want to evolve and become stronger, but this is the kind of thing you can't rush. It just comes naturally," she explained.

"_Well, I can't wait that long. I have to evolve into a Quilava now,_" Cyndaquil said.

"Cyndaquil, why do you want to evolve so quickly?" she asked.

"_I just have to!_" Cyndaquil replied back. "_Bayleef evolved and she got so much stronger. I'm sure Croconaw has too. That's the kind of power I want…the power I deserve_."

For a moment, things were quiet between the two. "Are you sure power is really what you want? I think you want to evolve for a different reason," May smirked. "Maybe someone is a little jealous of her friends?"

Cyndaquil didn't answer. "I think that's what the problem is," added May.

"_Okay, maybe I am a little envious towards Bayleef and Croconaw. I guess I thought it wasn't fair that they've moved on to their next evolution stage and I'm stuck being the way I am. I mean, did you see the way Bayleef took care of those Combee when they were attacking us?_"

"Well, you did some battling too," reminded May.

"_Yeah, but I think Bayleef did most of the work. I just cleaned up afterwards._"

"Cyndaquil, trust me. Trying to force evolution isn't going to make you stronger. This is just something that you're going to have to wait for."

Cyndaquil grunted angrily before heading back outside. "Wait! Cyndaquil, where are you going?" asked May. Cyndaquil didn't answer back to her. May just sighed depressingly. "What do I have to say to get through to her?" she asked herself. "Hopefully, Eevee will be easier to convince."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**BACK IN MAHOGANY TOWN…**

Thousands of Rocket scientists had gathered in the basement of the Pokémon Mart in Mahogany Town. The entire place was cleaned up and was now being furbished with modern computer technology. The scientists were busy plugging them in and setting them up.

Leader Silver overlooked the entire situation with his father's Persian by his side. He continued stroking its head gently. He continued smirking. He was in a good mood. Not only was his father's old Team Rocket hideout being brought back to life, but also Team Galactic had suffered a serious blow with the release of the Tyranitar they were experimenting on.

One of the scientists then walked up to him. "Sir, we are almost finished with the technical work. Just a few more set-ups and we'll be ready to launch!" reported the scientist.

"Excellent. Good job," Silver said.

Silver then noticed a group of Team Rocket grunts, scientists, and his commanders all around a computer set. He grew intrigued. "What are you guys looking at?" Silver asked, sternly.

"Sir, you might want to come and see this," said a commander.

"If it's that one video about the fat girl falling off a table, I've already seen it," remarked Silver.

Silver walked up and looked at the computer screen. He saw the rampaging Tyranitar, shooting off Hyper Beams and creating craters into the ground with Earthquakes. "This is the Tyranitar that Team Galactic stole from a trainer. They experimented on it, increased its negative emotions. This caused them that collapse back in Mount Silver."

"Is this live?" Silver asked.

"Yes, this is a live feed at the Lake of Rage," the scientist replied. "It's actually right behind Mahogany Town."

"Then we have no time to waste. We can't let Team Galactic take back the Tyranitar and use it against us. We'll take it and use it against him!"

"Yes sir," the commanders shouted in unison.

"Get a team out there and fast!" commanded Silver.

"Right away," a commander replied.

Soon, several grunts spread out and exited the base, heading to the Lake of Rage.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After her bath, May changed into her pajamas and went up to her room. Her hair was still a bit damp, so she wanted to brush it.

When she entered her room, she saw Eevee lying down on her bed. "Oh…hello Eevee," said May. May then sat down on a stool and began brushing her hair down. "Listen I'm glad you're here Eevee," she said. "I want to talk to you about you wanting to evolve."

"_You'll let me evolve?!?_" Eevee asked, happily.

"Ummm…well…listen Eevee, why you want to evolve so badly?" asked May.

"_Because…_" began Eevee. "_Lately I feel like I'm useless to the team._"

"_Well that was easy to get out of her,_" thought May. "Go on."

"_I mean…I haven't been in any battles or contests. Instead you always used Cyndaquil or Blaziken or even Munchlax. When Cyndaquil wanted to battle one of us just so she may evolve, she skipped right over me because she thought I was weak._"

May suddenly sighed angrily. "_Cyndaquil…she's always the instigator,_" she complained in her head.

"_That's when I attacked her, trying to prove her wrong,_" continued Eevee. She then thought to herself for a moment. "_Now that I think about it, maybe I was stupid fighting with her. I mean, I may not have been in any battles or contests lately…but at least I didn't lose in my battle._"

"Now hold on, Eevee," interrupted May. "I'm not saying you have to like Cyndaquil, but you have to respect her for putting up a tough battle. I understand that Cyndaquil can come off as being rude, but she wants the same thing you want, to be stronger and to be an important part of my team."

"_Yeah but…_"

"Eevee, I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Cyndaquil, evolution isn't something you can just force. It takes time for someone like you to evolve, especially you Eevee. You have…different means of evolving."

"_What do you mean?_" Eevee asked.

"Well…you see Eevee, you don't evolve by just leveling up. I have to use an elemental stone on you…or we have to find a special rock which will evolve you when you touch," May said.

"_Oh…_" Eevee replied sadly.

"Hey come on, Eevee. Don't be sad…it's just that…"

The sound of breaking glass interrupted May. May and Eevee shot their head up in surprise and shock. "What was that?" asked May.

"_It sounded like it came from downstairs,_" mentioned Eevee.

May and Eevee quickly rushed downstairs. They were shocked to see the entire Pokémon Center ruined. Plants were turned over, windows were broken, and scratches could be found everywhere. "What happened?" asked May.

"It was a swarm of bug Pokémon," explained Nurse Joy. "Combee broke through the windows and a swarm of Ariados and a Vespiquen came in and wrecked the place."

"Vespiquen?" May asked. "Where's Drew?"

Drew then got up and shoved aside several overturned furniture off him. "Drew, are you okay?" asked May, worriedly.

"I'm fine, but…" Drew said.

"But what?" May asked.

"Those bug Pokémon took off with Cyndaquil," Drew said.

"What?!?" May asked, angrily.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: And…the reader's worst enemy appears again…the cliffhanger! I wanted this chapter to be a little longer, but I figured leaving it here would be even better…than and you guys are overdue for another chapter.

I'll put up a poll on my profile regarding Vespiquen and May. I ask everyone to please vote on what you think will be best.

**NEXT TIME: **While Eevee accepts the truth about her evolution (somewhat), Cyndaquil still isn't happy. Thankfully, she doesn't have time to whine about it…mainly because the Ariados carried her back to Vespiquen's hideout. Vespiquen challenges Cyndaquil to a battle between her and Cyndaquil.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket is doing their best to capture Tyranitar to use as their own weapon. However, if Team Galactic couldn't contain him and his horrendous power…well, there really isn't a chance that Team Rocket can do any better.

What will happen to May's Cyndaquil? What did Team Galactic do to infuriate Tyranitar so much? Will Jahan and Tyranitar reunite with each other?

Most of these questions will be answered in the next exciting chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	20. Evolution Solution!

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By MisterAnimeFan

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

REVIEW REPLIES

**Arysd: **Yeah, I'm the author and I'm worried about Tyranitar's fate. I think we are all hoping that Tyranitar and Jahan will reunite, but then again, how is Jahan going to react to Tyranitar's moody attitude adjustments. I think that May should be a little more mature about the way she raises her Pokémon. Too bad it doesn't seem to have any effect on Cyndaquil.

**PerlaNemesis: **I also imagine that Roselia will be a little angry…first at me for foolishly writing her out, then at Drew for getting rid of her, and then at Bayleef for replacing her.

**Fire Drastar: **Eevee could evolve by increasing her happiness, but her dilemma is that her happiness probably IS maxed out, but she hasn't been in any battles lately.

**NotSoSlightlyCrazy: **Oops! I did make some major mistakes. Oh well, what's done is done!

**M the gate: **Thank you! Someone else praises my change in Drew's personality. The only reason he would go back to his 'too cool for you' act is if Jahan or Harley was around.

**December Roses: **In time…jealously will loom around both of them eventually. As for with whom, I will never say!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Cyndaquil (Ember, Smokescreen, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**NOTE: **_How silly, me! I forgot to add in this section for the last few chapters. How foolish of me!_

**LAST TIME…**

_May and Drew stays at the nearby Pokémon Center. May sits down with both Cyndaquil and Eevee to try to convince them that evolution is something that cannot be rushed. It comes naturally. While Eevee understands this, Cyndaquil refuses to accept it as true. Cyndaquil wants to evolve and she wants to now!_

_But Cyndaquil has no time to sulk about it as she gets abducted by the Vespiquen and Combee._

_Meanwhile, Team Rocket is almost finished re-building the Mahogany Town Base when they suddenly catch sight of Jahan's Tyranitar going on a rampage at the Lake of Rage. They set off to try to catch it for themselves._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Lake of Rage**

There was a swarm of Rocket vans and trucks heading towards the Lake of Rage. It was ridiculous at how many were on route. It looked as if an army was taking over the entire place. To some people, it was.

The Rocket Grunts and commanders were moving towards the Lake with full force. "Alright, team! Let's get this over with quickly!" commanded the lead commander.

Silver, Jessie, James, Meowth, and a team of scientists were watching everything unfold back at the Mahogany Town Base. "You know, for somebody who is trying to keep their team in the dark, you sure send out a lot of Team Rocket members," James mentioned.

"As much as I hate to come out at such a huge force, it is necessary to take care of the Tyranitar. It will be worth it if we can snag it as use it against Team Galactic," explained Silver.

Back out at Lake of Rage, the team continued down the dirt and grass road. Suddenly, they all felt a rumble in the ground. Then, the ground split open and a huge crevice formed into the ground. Almost half of the group crashed into the crevice, knocking them all out of service. A few lot of them managed to avoid it and continue towards the Tyranitar. As they later found out, the crevice was caused by Tyranitar's Earthquake, which was now powered by some strange dark substance that caused its negative emotions to be amplified tenfold.

"Alright, unleash our assault!" a commander shouted. A fury of Poké Balls were send out, many of which were Golbat, Electrode, Weezing, and Honchkrow. The Golbat and Honchkrow quickly flew up to the Tyranitar's head and distracted it. Meanwhile, the Electrode were slingshot towards Tyranitar. Upon impact, the Electrode unleashed an Explosion attack, stunning Tyranitar a bit.

"Now!" shouted the commander.

The back of the vans and trucks opened up and several hoses appeared. A high-pressure water stream was fired at Tyranitar. The water splashed onto Tyranitar, causing it to cry in agony. "It's working! Keep the stream running!" Team Rocket shouted.

They continued spraying Tyranitar with water, agitating it even more. Tyranitar roared as it unleashed a devastating Dark Pulse attack at Team Rocket. Several Team Rocket members went flying in the air. "It's not working!" shouted a grunt. "You're just making it angrier!"

"Shut up! It's working! Keep firing!" the commander replied.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, an Infernape appeared and tackled many Team Rocket vehicles, all while engulfed in fire. "What in the world?!?" a Team Rocket grunt asked. But they no time to figure out where it came from, because a barrage of Thunder zapped the Golbat and Honchkrow out of the sky. "Where did that come from?"

"Step away from my Pokémon!" shouted a voice.

They all turned around and saw Jahan and his entire Pokémon team standing beside him. "That Tyranitar is mine! I will not let you or Team Galactic take it from me!" Jahan shouted, confidently.

"We don't care who you are. This Tyranitar is ours! Go Raticate and Venomoth!"

Soon, a raid of Raticate and Venomoth appeared and lunged/flew towards Jahan's team. "Wow…what a diverse team of Pokémon," Jahan said, sarcastically. "Alright team, take them out with whatever you got!"

Luxray continued zapping the bird Pokémon away from Tyranitar while Infernape destroyed the water hoses with a Flare Blitz and a few Close Combats. Staraptor decided to help Luxray fight by swooping down and intimidating those controlling the hoses. The rest continued to take on Team Rocket's Pokémon. Roserade fought them off with Magical Leaf and Croconaw with Water Gun and Rage.

"Come on, guys!" shouted a grunt. "It's just one kid. We can take him!"

Soon enough, Luxray and Staraptor managed to knock out most of the bird Pokémon. Tyranitar managed to regain focus. Tyranitar then let out a mighty roar that send shockwaves into the ground. Everyone stopped what they were doing as they felt Tyranitar's roar. "_Whoa,_" commented Croconaw.

Then, Tyranitar began storing energy in his mouth. "He's going to use Hyper Beam!" shouted a grunt.

"Retreat! Retreat!" shouted a commander.

The Team Rocket members began to run away as Tyranitar unleashed an explosive Hyper Beam attack. Luckily, for Team Rocket, they managed to escape. Jahan and all of his Pokémon were all amazed (and some terrified) of Tyranitar's monumental strength and power. Soon enough, Team Rocket had left the Lake of Rage without a trace.

Jahan turned towards Tyranitar. "Hey, hey, alright Tyranitar!" praised Jahan. "I see you haven't lost your touch. I'm so happy that you're back with us!"

Jahan ran towards Tyranitar to give him a hug, but Tyranitar suddenly roared at him, scaring him and his Pokémon a bit. "What? Tyranitar, what are you doing? It's me, your trainer!" worried Jahan. Tyranitar didn't care. He swiped his massive claws at him, almost scratching him. Croconaw, Infernape, and Staraptor immediately went to his help. "_Hey pal, what's wrong with you?!?_" Infernape asked, angrily.

"_That's your trainer you're attacking!"_ scolded Croconaw.

Tyranitar continued growling at the three…but thankfully, he calmed down a few moments later. "_M-M-Master?_" asked Tyranitar.

"Tyranitar, what's with the attitude problem?" Jahan asked.

Tyranitar looked around and noticed the damage to the ground and the trees in the forest. "_Oh no…don't tell me I did it again!_" cried Tyranitar.

"_Did what?_" asked Croconaw, worriedly.

"_No…I hate what Team Galactic did to me!_" continued Tyranitar.

"What did they do?" asked Jahan.

"_Master, you can't be around me!_" protested Tyranitar.

"Just tell me what happened!" Jahan shouted.

"_No! Stay away from me!_" Tyranitar shouted.

Tyranitar turned around and began running and stomping away from Jahan. "No, Tyranitar! Come back! We can figure this out!" Jahan said.

But it was no good. Tyranitar had disappeared again, leaving everybody stunned and confused.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Route 44 Pokémon Center**

May and Drew were still bewildered as they saw the destruction of the Pokémon Center. The Pokémon were helping to set some things upright, but May couldn't help but be worried. "Where could those bug Pokémon have taken Cyndaquil to?" asked May.

"I can't really help you there," Nurse Joy said. "This part of the forest is home to many Bug-type Pokémon. Cyndaquil could be anywhere now."

"That's not reassuring," worried May.

Drew then placed his hands on a frantic May. "Don't worried May," reassured Drew. "I'm sure Cyndaquil will be okay. Knowing her, she'll be feisty enough to keep herself from harm."

"Yeah…I hope you're right," May said.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Somewhere in the middle of the forest, Cyndaquil was tied up against a tree. She was struggling to free herself from her strong, sticky web rope. Ariados and Combee were nearby to watch over her. "_You are all cowards, you know that?!?_" Cyndaquil asked, angrily. "_You're afraid of what I can do to Bug-type Pokémon. That's why you guys have to tie me up!_"

"_Oh, shut your big mouth!_" shouted Ariados.

"_The queen shall do away with you!_" Combee added.

"_I'm not afraid of her or anything you morons can do to me!_" replied Cyndaquil. "_That's what you guys are…morons! Because you forget one important thing…you guys are weak to fire!_"

Cyndaquil suddenly unleashed an Ember attack on the Bug-type Pokémon. The fire on her back also burned through the web, instantly freeing her.

Cyndaquil ran as fast as her chubby legs will take her. "_So long, losers!_" she taunted. But then, Vespiquen appeared and stopped her with a Power Gem attack. "_And just where do you think you're running off to?_" Vespiquen asked, angrily.

"_You again!_" Cyndaquil said, as she tried to recover from the attack.

"_Yes, I, the queen of the forest, shall have my revenge! You burned me with a Fire-type attack…_"

"_And I'll do it again if I have to!_" boasted Cyndaquil.

"_You shall not do such thing ever again once I am finished with you!_"

Suddenly, a swarm of Combee began to fly over towards their queen. "_I don't think so!_" Cyndaquil said. Cyndaquil then lifted her head and unleashed a powerful stream of fire from its mouth, scaring away the Combee. "_I see what you want now…you want me to fight you. If you're fighting, you are going to do it without your little minions!_" Cyndaquil said, angrily.

"_Fine then! If that is how you want me to fight, then I shall fight alone!_"

Vespiquen and Cyndaquil glared at each other, as Ariados and Combee flew and surrounded the area, creating a makeshift battleground. "_How do you feel Cyndaquil? How does it feel to not have your little grass-type friend aiding you?_" Vespiquen asked.

"_I don't need Bayleef to take you on_!" boasted Cyndaquil.

Cyndaquil's back ignited with fire as Cyndaquil unleashed an Ember attack towards Vespiquen. Vespiquen swiftly avoided the fire. She then countered by lifting her large abdomen and shot out a purple liquid at Cyndaquil. The purple liquid bubbled as Cyndaquil shook it off. "_Ew! What is this stuff?_" Cyndaquil asked.

"_You shall find out soon enough!_" replied Vespiquen. "_Now, taste my claws!_" Vespiquen lunged at Cyndaquil, but she countered with a Smokescreen. She shot black smog out of her mouth, blinding Vespiquen. "_What?!? Where are you?!? Show yourself coward!_" Vespiquen shouted.

"_Okay!_"

Cyndaquil then appeared from nowhere and tackled Vespiquen! Vespiquen fell to the dirt ground. Her subjects were cheering her on. "_Go, my queen!"_

"_Do not let this nobody beat you!_"

Vespiquen then regained her composure. "_You got a lucky shot!_" Vespiquen said. Cyndaquil then unleashed another fire attack. Again, Vespiquen managed to avoid the attack. Vespiquen then lunged at Cyndaquil and slashed her with Fury Cutter. Cyndaquil just shook the attack off, but suddenly she began to feel sick. Cyndaquil felt weak and disorientated. "_What…what's wrong with me?_" Cyndaquil asked, worriedly. "_I…feel like my power…is being sucked out…_"

"_I see the poison is starting to take effect,_" boasted Vespiquen.

"_Poison? What poison?_" asked Cyndaquil.

Cyndaquil then remembered when Vespiquen shot Cyndaquil with some sort of purple liquid. "_That's right, nobody!_" Vespiquen said. "_What I used earlier was Toxic. It badly poisons you and weakens you. Moreover, it gets worse. For every moment that you attack or even walk, you will get even worse._"

"_Don't worry. I'll finish you faster than your poison can finish me_."

Cyndaquil got back on her feet and blew another stream of fire at Vespiquen.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

May and Drew were still at the Pokémon Center, trying to clean up. Suddenly, May looked out and saw fire emerging from the forest. She immediately bolted out of the door. "Hey, wait!" Drew shouted. Both of their Pokémon (Bayleef, Blaziken, Eevee, and Munchlax) followed them.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

The battle between Vespiquen and Cyndaquil continued. Power Gems, Embers, Fury Cutters, and Smokescreens filled the entire battleground.

Another Power Gem connected with Cyndaquil's face. Cyndaquil tumbled backwards. "_Had enough, you nobody?_" Vespiquen asked. Vespiquen then unleashed another Power Gem. Cyndaquil suddenly tackled Vespiquen in her abdomen. Cyndaquil would have said something witty and clever, but at this point, the poison from Toxic was overwhelming her body.

Cyndaquil began to stumble. Vespiquen flew over a weak, tired, and poisoned Cyndaquil. "_Look at you. You really are no one special. You will always be below me…in royalty __**and**__ in power,_" taunted Vespiquen.

Vespiquen then slashed Cyndaquil with a Fury Cutter. "_I want to say to me that I am the greatest queen of the Pokémon world…no…the Pokémon __**universe**__!_" commanded Vespiquen.

"_Listen to me…_" Cyndaquil said, weakly. "_You may have command over these pathetic excuses for Pokémon, but you can't order me around._"

Vespiquen gave Cyndaquil another Fury Cutter. "_Shut up and say it!_" she shouted again.

"_Forget it!_" replied Cyndaquil. Vespiquen slashed her again. "_Say it!_" Vespiquen shouted once more. She continued slashing in between words. "_I…am…the…greatest! Now…say it!_"

Suddenly, the Combee and Ariados surrounding the 'arena' began to leave the arena. Vespiquen was rather upset. "_What are you doing?!? Stay here and watch me!_" Vespiquen commanded.

"_We have intruders, my queen!_" Ariados replied.

Vespiquen began to fly over to where these 'intruders' were. She suddenly backed away when a large stream of fire was blown. "_What in the world was that?!?_" she asked, angrily. She then saw Drew, Bayleef, Munchlax, and Blaziken surrounded by the Combee and the Ariados. Vespiquen immediately recognized Bayleef. "_Well, well, well…the grass-type friend of that fire-type peasant,_" Vespiquen said. "_I suppose you are here to bail out your friend. As for the big Pokémon and the fat one, I do believe that this is the first time they have met me…_"

Cyndaquil remained in the battlefield, motionless for the most part. However, she can still get some glimpse of what was going on. The poison has almost taken over her entire body. But suddenly, Eevee and May kneeled down in front of her. "_Oh no…she looks bad,_" Eevee said.

"_E-E-Eevee?_" Cyndaquil asked.

"It's okay Cyndaquil," May said. "I'm here to help you."

"_She looks like she's been poisoned,_" suggested Eevee.

"Don't worry. I packed a bag full of medicine for anything," May said. May then began going through her bag. She then took out an Antidote, an item used to cure poisoning, and a Super Potion, used for healing wounds. May first sprayed the Antidote onto Cyndaquil's body. "Here, this should take care of the poison," muttered May.

As the spray took effect, Cyndaquil began to feel much better, but Vespiquen's Fury Cutter attacks still gave her a beating. Cyndaquil got onto her feet, but again she was still battered. "_How do you feel?_" Eevee asked.

"_I still feel scratched up,_" Cyndaquil replied. "_But the poison seems to be wearing off._"

"Here, this should fix that," May said.

She reached for the Super Potion, but a voice called out. "_Minions, use Attack Order!_" Vespiquen called out.

May turned around and Combee immediately swarmed her and Eevee. Cyndaquil was alert. May tried to swat away the Combee. "Get out of my way!" May shouted. The Combee's eyes glowed red as they glared angrily at May. A Shadow Ball attack suddenly broke them apart. "_Leave my trainer alone!_" protested Eevee.

Vespiquen shut her up with a Power Gem attack. "_How dare you and your master go and interrupt the royal punishment battle_!" Vespiquen shouted, angrily.

"_Is that what this is?_" Combee asked.

"_Silence, minion!_" snapped Vespiquen. She turned her attention back towards May and Eevee. Eevee was struggling to get back on her feet.

"May!" shouted Drew. He, Blaziken, Bayleef and Munchlax tried to help May, but Ariados bound their feet to the ground with web. Vespiquen scoffed as Eevee tried to get back on her. "_Look at this furball…she is just as pathetic and weak as that fire-type Pokémon,_" taunted Vespiquen.

Vespiquen was caught off-guard when a huge stream of fire was fired at. Luckily, a wall of Combee defended her from the attack. "_Is that Blaziken still…_"

Vespiquen turned around and saw Cyndaquil on her feet, still panting and out-of-breath. Nonetheless, the fire on Cyndaquil's back grew to immense proportions, possibly out of anger. "_I…am not…a nobody. I am not pathetic or weak…and neither is Eevee!_" she shouted, angrily. "_If you dare, touch my trainer…the person who was willing to risk her life to help me…or anyone else on my team, then you will wish that you ever messed with us._"

"_Big words from such a small and puny…_"

Vespiquen was cut off when Cyndaquil began to glow white. May, Eevee, as well as everyone else were amazed and surprise to see Cyndaquil began to change. "Could she be…?" May asked.

"_Well Cyndaquil, looks like you finally got your wish,_" Bayleef though to herself.

Cyndaquil's body began lengthier and slimmer, her back flame split into two separate flames (one on the head and the other on her lower body), pointy triangular ears grew on her head, and her eyes opened. Soon enough, Cyndaquil stopped glowing. She had now become a completely different Pokémon.

"Cyndaquil, you evolved!" May shouted, happily.

"_I did?_" Cyndaquil asked. She looked down at herself and noticed that instead of being on all four legs, she was standing on only two. She was also much taller. "_Hey…I did! I finally evolved!_" she shouted, happily.

**POKéDEX ENTRY: Quilava**

**The Volcano Pokémon and the evolved form of Cyndaquil**

**It intimidates foes with intense gusts of flames and superheated air. This Pokémon applies its outstanding nimbleness to dodge attacks even while scorching the foes with fire.**

"_Look at that…_" continued Vespiquen. "_You've evolved and you are still lesser than I._"

"_Easy to say that behind your goonies, you coward!_" replied Quilava. "_I feel more powerful than I have ever been before!_"

"_Let's test that power, shall we?_"

Her Combee subjects began to surround Vespiquen and encase her in a ball-shaped shield. "_Hey! We agreed that you wouldn't use your backup,_" complained Quilava.

"_I am royalty! I do not need to follow the rules! I can change them however I want,_" explained Vespiquen. She was completely encased inside a ball of Combee, with her inside. Quilava just smirked. "_Let's see what new moves I learned,_" Quilava said.

Quilava began to charge at the Combee ball, but as she ran she curled up in a ball and rolled towards Vespiquen. For more damage, she engulfed herself on fire. "Hey, that's Flame Wheel!" May shouted.

The rolling ball of fire jumped up and tackled into the Combee ball. Surprisingly, the Combee remained together to defend Vespiquen. However, Vespiquen bounced around inside, making her dizzy.

Quilava, still engulfed in fire, turned around, jumped up, and jostled the hovering Combee ball around. She continued doing this several times, making the Vespiquen trapped inside dizzy and a bit nauseous.

May and Eevee watched with amazement. "_ Wow…Quilava has so much power and strength than when she was a Cyndaquil," May think_.

Quilava then stopped the Flame Wheel. She looked up and despite several of the Combee being badly burned, the shield still held together tightly. "_Hmmm…maybe this will break through,_" muttered Quilava.

Quilava took a fighting stance. Her back erupted in fire as she gathered as much energy as she could into her mouth. Then, she unleashed an searing-hot Flamethrower towards the Combee ball. Everyone was amazed and shocked at the immense power. Blaziken just nodded her head. "_She definitely has some new found power,_" Blaziken thought.

The Combee tried to stand their ground around their precious queen, but the heat from the Flamethrower was too much. Some Combee fell to the ground burned while the others decide to run away. Either way, the Combee left, creating holes in the shield. The Flamethrower managed to push through the shield and towards the Vespiquen inside. All of the Combee finally broke away, allowing Quilava to scorch Vespiquen.

After the Flamethrower finished, Vespiquen fell to the ground, tired and burned. Vespiquen tried to get up, but it was no good. She was finished. The Ariados and Combee looked at their fallen bug queen. "_My…my queen…she's fallen,_" cried Ariados.

"_How dare you…_"

The Combee were interrupted when they saw Blaziken and Quilava standing in front of them, cross-armed and angry. "_If I were you guys, I would run for the hills before both Quilava and I burn you the same way we did to your queen,_" threatened Blaziken. To show that they are serious, Quilava's back erupted in flames again.

"_Retreat!_" Ariados shouted.

The Combee and the Ariados began to run away from the two, fearing for their well-being. After they had left, Blaziken turned to Quilava. "_Got to say…that was some grade-A battling,_" Blaziken said.

"_You think so?_" Quilava asked.

Suddenly, May ran up and hugged Quilava. "Cyndaquil, I'm so happy for you! You finally evolved!" May shouted, happily.

"_I'm a Quilava now! I can't believe it!_" Quilava replied, happily. Quilava then turned to Bayleef. "_Looks like you, Croconaw, and I are now on equal levels!_" Quilava said to her long-time friend.

"_Yeah, I know. Maybe this time when you go up against Croconaw, you will put up a decent fight,_" Bayleef replied.

"_I bet you're so happy,_" squeaked Eevee. Quilava looked down and saw Eevee, looking at the ground, sounding a bit sad. "_Tell me Quilava, how does it feel that you evolved?_"

"_It feels great. It feels like you're a new Pokémon,_" answered Quilava. "_But you know something, Eevee, you really shouldn't try to force your evolution. It took a long time for me to evolve and when I did, I feel much more powerful! If it takes you longer than me to evolve, who knows? Maybe you'll gain enough strength to defeat me._"

"_You really think so_?" Eevee asked.

"_I believe that once you evolve into…whatever, you may be stronger than me. But you have to let it happen naturally,_" continued Quilava.

Quilava looked up at May. May was smiling back at her. "_What are you smiling about?_" Quilava asked.

"You know, I think it's more than just your appearance that's matured. I think your attitude has matured as well. I'm proud of you Cynda…I mean Quilava," explained May.

"Well…I think it's best if we call it a night," yawned Drew.

"Yeah, I'm getting tired too," May said. "Come on everybody. Let's go back to the Pokémon Center."

Everyone then began walking down the dirt road that lead them back to the Pokémon Center. Before they cleared the 'battlefield,' Vespiquen stumbled back up in the air. "_I'm not done yet!_" she shouted.

She flew quickly towards at May. May quickly turned around and Vespiquen slashed with Fury Cutter. Fortunately, May's backpack took the attack. It ripped open, slipping its contents everywhere. However, a single Poké Ball was inside and jumped up from the impact. The Poké Ball tapped Vespiquen, much to everyone's dismay. "_NOO!_" Vespiquen shouted.

The Poké Ball opened up and a red light absorbed a weak Vespiquen into it. The Poké Ball began to roll around, quite violently. "Are you okay?" Drew asked.

"Yeah I'm fine…but what's happening?" May asked.

Everyone turned to the Poké Ball, which was still moving around. Suddenly, it stopped rolling and the Poké Ball pinged as the red light went out. Everyone, especially May and Quilava, watched in shock at the Poké Ball. "Did I just…" began May.

"_Oh no,_" groaned Quilava.

May jumped up on her feet, walked to the Poké Ball, and picked it up. It felt much heavier than it did before. "Ummm…May, I think you just…" began Drew.

"I know," interrupted May. "It looks like I caught a Vespiquen."

"_Oh man, something tells me you're going to have to give Vespiquen the old release-her-in-the-wild treatment,_" joked Munchlax.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: Well, a lot happened in this chapter…Cyndaquil finally evolved in Quilava and Vespiquen was (unwillingly) captured by May. Though, I'm sure Vespiquen and Quilava won't be friends for a long time.

I like to thank everybody who has voted on the poll on my profile. The results are in and (as of January 16, 2010) 77 percent of you readers says that May should keep Vespiquen while the other 22 percent says she should release it.

Thank you all for putting in your input. It helps as to how I should continue with my story!

**NEXT TIME: **After another night at the Pokémon Center, May begins to contemplate on whether Vespiquen should stay on her Pokémon team. Vespiquen is so used to having people fight for her at her whim, but now that the Combee she used to have control has left her, she now has to learn to fight for herself. And she and Quilava are on really bad terms. Vespiquen expects everyone to serve her, but she is going to get a reality check soon enough.

But that won't be for another while. May and Drew arrive at the Ice Path, which is the only thing preventing them from reaching Mahogany Town. The Ice Path is very cold, but May has heard that the Ice Rock could be in the Ice Path, which could help Eevee evolve! Will they be able to find it?

And what will happen between Jahan and Tyranitar? He feels a bit hurt that Tyranitar abandoned his team, but he doesn't know the real reason why. What will happen between the two?

So many questions to be answered…hopefully they will have some clarification in the next _**chilling **_chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	21. Taming the Queen, to some extent!

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By MisterAnimeFan

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

REVIEW REPLIES

**Fire Drastar: **Vespiquen will definitely have some issues trying to fit into the team, considering she has made herself some powerful enemies, especially Quilava. Plus, she has no Combee to rely on, so she'll have to learn for herself.

**Arysd: **It really is admirable, though Jahan probably will not see it like that. May will have problems with Vespiquen, but she will manage, seeing as how she dealt with Cyndaquil. And about Eevee, personally Umbreon is my favorite Eevee-evolution.

**Shiningheart of ThunderClan: **I don't know if 'adorable' is the word I would use for Quilava. Cool, yes, but adorable? They do have a sleek and slender body, though.

**Jynxite: **Mary-Sue stories are scary, especially considering that there are a sheer number of them on fanfiction dot net. I think songfics are bad too, simply because of how little of actual original writing is in it, though there are good songfics.

**iExiia: **What do you mean by Drew's signature rose? Do you mean his Roselia or an actual rose…like the ones that he used to give to May?

**Anonymous: **It would seem as if May would be able to do gym battles easily, but think about it. There is little to no strength training involved with contests, while gym leaders and trainers do nothing but strength training (mostly, they also do battle strategies). Either way, I can't make May win every contest or gym battle. What fun is that?

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Quilava (Flamethrower, Flame Wheel, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

Vespiquen (Power Gem, Toxic, Fury Cutter)

**A/N: **Seeing as how Vespiquen no longer has an army of Combee, she cannot use Attack Order, Defend Order, or Heal Order.

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_A group of Bug-Type Pokémon invaded the Pokémon Center, taking Cyndaquil with them. As it turns out, Vespiquen wanted to exact her "revenge" on Cyndaquil. The battle starts with Vespiquen poisoning Cyndaquil with a Toxic attack, which weakens her with every passing minute. Eventually, the poison brings Cyndaquil off her feet. Vespiquen begins to taunt Cyndaquil before May and Drew steps in to try and help Cyndaquil._

_Seeing the Combee trying to attack May angered Cyndaquil. Cyndaquil's emotional connection to May caused her to evolve into Quilava. With the newfound power burst, Quilava could now easily defeat Vespiquen, even after she called upon her army of Combee. Everyone celebrated Quilava's win and evolution. May was especially proud of Quilava._

_However, as our heroes were walking away, Vespiquen suddenly got up and tried to attack May, but it ended up with her being captured in a stray Poké Ball. May didn't know what to say, as she now had to deal with Vespiquen._

_Meanwhile, at the Lake of Rage, Team Rocket tries to capture Jahan's Tyranitar, but Tyranitar's frightening power proved too much for them. Despite that, Team Rocket continued their efforts. Luckily, Jahan shows up and he and his Pokémon immediately scared Team Rocket away._

_Jahan is happy to be reunited with Tyranitar, but suddenly Tyranitar snaps at him. He calms himself down and he immediately becomes sad over the fact that he went into another rage attack. He runs away from Jahan, trying to protect him from his attitude attacks. But that's not the way Jahan sees it…_

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Lake of Rage**

The sun peeked over the mountains of Johto. The Lake of Rage and the area around it had craters and ditches dug into the ground because of Tyranitar's tantrum last night.

Jahan sat at the shoreline of Lake of Rage, still confused over Tyranitar's actions last night. He had bags under his eyes and he continued staring at the lake.

The rest of his Pokémon were behind him, worried about him. "_Boy…he's really torn up about this,_" said Luxray.

Croconaw then walked up to his trainer. He slightly rubbed his right shoulder. "_Hey…master, are you okay?_" Croconaw asked.

"Tyranitar just blew me off. Do you REALLY think I'm okay?" Jahan answered, angrily.

"_Okay, thank it easy! I know it seemed as if Tyranitar blew you off, but did you see how crazy he was? Maybe it's better if he had some time to himself._"

"Team Galactic did something to him…" muttered Jahan.

"_Obviously,_" Infernape said.

"They brainwashed him. They made it so that Tyranitar would listen to them. I guess their plan failed. Ever so, they did enough damage. Tyranitar needs my help…no, OUR help to snap him back to normal."

"_I don't know, he's pretty menacing and he's more powerful than he ever has been,_" commented Croconaw. "_I don't think anyone can take him on and win._"

"That's why starting now, we are going to train and train. We are going to become more powerful than we ever have been so that next time we see Team Rocket or Team Galactic, we'll beat them so hard that they're run home crying!"

Jahan then focused his eyes on Croconaw. Croconaw grew a bit nervous. "_Ummm…what is it, master?_" Croconaw asked.

"You know, if you evolved into a Feraligatr, you would big enough to take on Tyranitar and trump him with your type advantage over him!"

"_You want to evolve…so that I can beat down Tyranitar?_" Croconaw asked. "_I don't know about that."_

"Come on guys! Tyranitar is our best friend!"

"_That's why I don't want to fight him!_" protested Croconaw. "_He is our friend. I've looked up to him and he's been a guide to me. I don't want to fight him."_

"Tyranitar needs our help!" argued Jahan. "We can't let him down! You know if you guys were brainwashed by Team Galactic, he would have done the same thing. Not to be mean, but to help you remember who you are to us."

"_You have a point,_" Staraptor said.

"Come on guys. Tyranitar thinks he can do this by himself, but he really needs our help! We're not just a teammate, he's our friend…and friends help each other out!" Now whose with me?"

The team was silent for a moment. Infernape spoke up first. "_You're right,_" he said. "_Tyranitar needs us. I'm willing to help him!_"

"_Me too,_" agreed Staraptor.

"_Count me in as well,_" Roserade said.

"_Tyranitar shouldn't have to do this alone,_" added Luxray.

Everyone turned to Croconaw, expecting him to say something. "_Oh? It's my turn?_" Croconaw asked, innocently.

"Come on Croconaw, are you in or out?" asked Jahan.

"_Well…I want to help Tyranitar, but I don't really want to force evolution,_" argued Croconaw.

"Come on. If you evolve, you can take on Tyranitar and help him snap out of it!"

"_Yeah but…_"

"And besides, being a Feraligatr isn't so bad. You get to become bigger and powerful."

"_Wait a minute, master! Let's think about this for a moment,_" pleaded Croconaw. "_I'm fine the way I am! I'm happy with who I am! And not that I don't want to evolve, but I'm in no rush to either. If it happens, it happens._"

"I understand where you are coming from," Jahan replied. "But think about this, Tyranitar is out there alone, possibly on another rampage. People could be getting hurt because of him, and he doesn't know how to control it. That's why I want to help him. Come on Croconaw, please! Evolve so that you can help him regain his compassion and train of though."

Croconaw looked into his trainer's eyes, the eyes filled with worry (with an addition of hatred deep down). He then turned to the rest of his team, who would look back at him. Croconaw sighed as he raised his hand up. "_I'll do it,_" Croconaw said.

"Yes!" shouted Jahan, happily. "Thank you!"

The rest of the Pokémon cheered happily, but Croconaw was still a bit skeptic about what will happen tomorrow or the next few days after that day.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

As May and Drew continued up the dirt path towards the Ice Path, May could not help but look at the Poké Ball in her hands. The Poké Ball in her hands was the one that captured the arrogant Vespiquen. Unintentionally, it captured after Vespiquen ripped up May's bag (which by the way, Nurse Joy kindly repaired the ripped bad for her) and a stray Poké Ball captured the weakened Vespiquen. Last night, May and her team had a discussion on what to do with her.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

_Nurse Joy and the Chansey were fixing the Pokémon Center. May and her Pokémon were in her room, sitting in a circle. "Okay, here's how we are going to do this," began May. "I am going to take each one of you outside the room and I want you to tell me what you think I should do with Vespiquen."_

_May then took each one of her Pokémon outside of the room to hear their thoughts on Vespiquen._

_**QUILAVA:**_ _Personally, I don't want to have to constantly deal with her and her cocky attitude. She's going to treat us like we are her slaves. I say release her back in the wild._

_**MUNCHLAX:**__ Maybe you can do what you did to Cyndaquil and release her in the wild, and then when she learned the errors of her ways, you'll take her back!_

_(__**MAY: **__That's not going to work with Vespiquen. You see, Cyndaquil realized that she had no one to depend on in the wild. But Vespiquen had an army of Combee who did everything for her.)_

_**MUNCHLAX: **__In that case, send her back into the wild. She'll be happier there than with us._

_**WARTORTLE: **__I say keep her! And if she gets out of line, __**WHAM!**__ I'll soak her with a Aqua Tail, teach her to be her nasty, ugly self!_

_**EEVEE:**__ I don't think she likes us very much. I say get rid of her._

_**BLAZIKEN: **__I don't know, May. It all depends on what you do. Do you want to get rid of her?_

_(__**MAY: **__Well, I didn't want to capture Vespiquen, but she is a serious fighter and she could prove to be successful in a contest or even gym battles. But her attitude might cause problems with everybody else…and me.)_

_**BLAZIKEN: **__You have taken on worse things. Just make sure that Vespiquen knows that you're her trainer. Even so, I'm sure you'll have no problems if you keep at it._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

May continued looking at the Poké Ball. "So, what are you going to do about her?" asked Drew. "Are you going to keep it or release it?"

"Well, let's see…" began May, _"_so far it's three for releasing her and two for keeping her. Well, if I was going by majority rules, Vespiquen would be gone. But Blaziken makes a good point. I do really want Vespiquen to be a part of my team."

"Then keep her then," suggested Drew.

"But she does have a bad attitude and most of my team doesn't like her and assumes her to be very spoiled."

"Well…what does she say?" asked Drew.

May perked her head up. "You know something," she said, "I never did ask Vespiquen about her opinion on this."

May clenched the Poké Ball and threw it high in the air. The Poké Ball opened up and Vespiquen popped out. She looked around frantically. "_What is this?_" she asked. "_Where am I?_"

Vespiquen then noticed May and Drew in front of her. "_You…you're the one who captured me! You have imprisoned me to join your renegade team of anarchy!"_

"Huh?" asked Drew.

"Look Vespiquen, first off, you captured yourself. I didn't want to catch you, but you ripped my bag open and the Poké Ball caught you," ranted May.

"_Either way, it seems you are now my master and you shall hold me against my will, as I assume most trainers do with their Pokémon,_" sneered Vespiquen.

"_Gee, a Pokémon who thinks trainers hold their Pokémon against their will,_" thought May._ "I can't help but remember how a certain fire-type Pokémon used to act like that. Actually, that gives me an idea._"

"You know something," began May. "You don't have to be a part of my team if you don't want to."

"_But I believe that capturing me allows you to take control of me_," Vespiquen said.

"Nope. The wild is right behind you. If you really don't want to believe on my Pokémon team then just fly away," May said.

"_Very well then._"

Without much thought, Vespiquen immediately began to fly towards the woods. "I hope you enjoy the wild," waved May.

Vespiquen, however, quickly stopped in her tracks. "What are you waiting for?" May asked.

"Yeah, you should be out of sight by now," added Drew.

Vespiquen quickly flew back towards May and her glaring red eyes met with May's blue ones. "_You seriously don't want me on your team_?" Vespiquen asked. "_I mean, you don't think I am an asset?"_

"Well, I think it would be interesting to see how powerful you can be, but…uhhh…you see, you don't come off as a team player," explained May.

"_What exactly gives you the right to make that assumption about myself?_" Vespiquen asked, angrily.

"You're apparently a Pokémon of high royalty," mentioned Drew. "You said that when you attacked May back in the forest."

"_Well, I am a queen. It is my name after all: Ves-pi-__**quen.**__ Okay, maybe it's not pronounced 'queen,' but it is pretty close. Anyway, that's why I believe I shall dominate over the Pokémon_"

"That's why I think it would be better if you just go back to the forest and control your army of Combee…"

May's speech slowed down when she begun to realize something about Vespiquen. "Why do you want to be on my team?" asked May. "And I know you want to be on my team because otherwise you would have left by now, leading your army of Combee."

"_Fine then, if you do wish to know about my ambitions, I want to join your team of super warriors. You saw the way my Combee were frightened by the…Blaziken and the Quilava of yours. If they are afraid of those two, I can perhaps befriend them so that when the time comes, they shall help me fight, and rule the kingdom!_" shouted Vespiquen.

"And that is why I'm afraid of keeping you," May said. "Knowing your attitude, you'll boss my Pokémon around to do your fighting. And that's not right, considering that Quilava told me you can fight your own battles."

"_Yes, I suppose I can handle myself in combat, but why bother when I have others to do it for me?_" Vespiquen asked. "_The Combee were weak and could not even defeat something as simple as a Caterpie. But your Pokémon can easily defeat anything that gets in the way._"

"That's not going to work with anyone on my team. When you are on a team, you have to treat everyone other Pokémon like your equal. They'll fight for you, but only if you will fight for them."

"_Hmmm…what do you mean?"_

May sighed, annoyed and tired. "Look, my Pokémon are powerful indeed, and if you are ever in any trouble, then they'll help you. But my team doesn't believe in kings or queens or anyone receiving special treatment. They all act like friends."

"Or think of it like this," Drew butted in. "You know the phrase: all for one and one for all? That's kind of the motto May's team follows."

"Yes! Exactly!" May exclaimed, happily. "If you fall down, we're help you back up on your feet! If somebody messes with one of us, they mess with all of us!"

"_I think it's starting to make sense to me,_" Vespiquen said.

"But as of now, they probably won't do that for you because they see you as spoiled and arrogant. Not to mention that you beat up Quilava pretty badly."

"_Well,_ _I can change!" _Vespiquen said._ "So if I was to become accepted into their little tight-knit group, I must make peace with them!"_

"That's exactly what you have to do," Drew said.

"If you show them that they can depend on you and that you're nice to them, maybe they won't hate you as much."

"_Nice…to other Pokémon? Hmmm…if being nice to them means they will accept me as one of their own and fight for me, then so it!_"

Vespiquen turned back to May. _"Seeing as how it is almost the stroke of twelve and I am becoming quite famished, how about I converse with the rest of your minio…I mean Pokémon and see if I can establish some sort of common ground with them._"

"Ummm…okay, I guess that sounds like a good idea," May said.

A few minutes later, all of Drew and May's Pokémon sat around, eating their bowls of Pokémon food. "Eat up everybody!" May said, happily.

"We got to hurry though, otherwise we won't be able to get to the Ice Path before sundown," warned Drew.

May looked at her group of Pokémon. She was concerned that each of her Pokémon were eating their food silently and glaring at Vespiquen. "I'm a little worried," muttered May. "My Pokémon don't seem to like Vespiquen so much."

"Well, it's to be expected," Drew said. "You shouldn't be surprised, considering the way she talked to us before."

"Ooohh…" groaned May, worriedly. "Vespiquen is becoming more of a headache then I thought she would be."

"Hey, don't stress out about it, I'm sure that your Pokémon will eventually warm up to Vespiquen."

"I hope so. I'm also hoping that no one has to beat her up in order for her to listen." May then recall the time Blaziken and Quilava (then, just a Cyndaquil) fought each other and Cyndaquil lost badly.

Vespiquen continued to look at her food, examining the single pellet in her sharp claw. "_What's wrong? You don't like the food?_" asked Munchlax. "_Because I'll eat it if you don't want it._"

"_Of course she doesn't like it_," muttered Quilava, as she ate her food.

"_It's not that! It's just that I am so used to eating berries and the like,_" explained Vespiquen.

"_We sometimes eat berries_," Eevee mentioned. "_But this stuff isn't bad either. Try it._"

Vespiquen examined the pellet more carefully before finally eating it. "_Hmph, it's okay I suppose,_" she said. Quilava just scoffed angrily. Vespiquen took no notice. "_Well then, now that we are all comfortable now, I suppose I should let you know now that your trainer, May, has allowed me to be on your team."_

"_Oh…that's just great,_" groaned Quilava.

"_Now_ _relax Quilava,"_ reassured Vespiquen. "_I acted nasty in the past, but I shall change myself for the better! I know some of you think less of me, but I say let us start over and forget what happened in the past. Now, I believe introductions are in order, names and your opinion on me and such,_" suggested Vespiquen.

Vespiquen turned to Quilava, who glared right back at her. "_Well,_ _I know you quite well,_" muttered Vespiquen. She then turned to Munchlax. "_How about you, fat one?_" she asked.

"_Well, I am Munchlax,_" introduced Munchlax. "_And personally, I don't care if you are on the team or not. You seem powerful, but you're also very mean too._"

"_I feel the same way,_" Eevee said.

"_Oh no! Please, as I said, forget that old me! I am a changed Pokémon._"

"_Sure you are,_" Quilava said. "_I don't believe you can change. You are just trying to act nice so that you can boss us around. You don't mean anything you said._"

"_Well, somebody is grouchy today,_" Vespiquen said. "_Anyway, let us continue with introductions."_

"_I am Wartortle!_" Wartortle said, proudly. "_And like I said to May, you can stay on the team, but if you act out of line, I'll hit you with an Aqua Tail!_"

"_Oh…that will not be necessary,_" reassured Vespiquen.

"_As the only Water-type Pokémon on the team, I am therefore the most powerful Pokémon on the team._"

"_Just because you're a Water-type Pokémon, it doesn't make you the best on the team, Wartortle,_" Vespiquen said.

"_Well, why do you care?_" Quilava asked. "_You probably think __**you're**__ the best on the team._"

"_Of course not,_" Vespiquen said. "_I treat every like their equal to me._"

"_Just give it up, Vespiquen!_" Quilava shouted, angrily. "_You just care about yourself only! If you think you can boss us around and be lazy, you got another thing coming! No matter what you say, I will never trust you at all!_"

Quilava then angrily stomped away from the group, leaving a bowl full of food. "_Dibs on her food,_" Munchlax said. Vespiquen was a little hurt by her comments. "_Hmph…well I suppose not everybody is going to accept me,_" she said.

"_Well, you did beat Quilava up within an inch of her life and threaten May,_" Blaziken said. "_And even though you say you've changed, it's still going to be hard for Quilava to forgive you for that._"

"_Well…do you believe me?_" Vespiquen asked.

"_There is a part of me that says you have changed, but there is the other part of me that says you are just faking it,_" replied Blaziken. "_I'm just saying._"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After lunch, May and Drew then continued towards the Ice Path. "Hey Drew," said May.

"Yes?" asked Drew.

"Um, thanks for helping me with Vespiquen," May said.

"It was nothing. I just thought that analogy would help Vespiquen understand what you're trying to say. I do hope Vespiquen really does change."

"I hope so too. I want her to really understand the meaning of fighting for your friends."

After a few moments of walking, Drew and May reached a rather large cave. "Is that the Ice Path?" asked May.

"I think so," Drew said.

Both of them got closer to the cave's entrance for a closer inspection. The inside of the cave was very dark. From the entrance, they saw that the rocks and the cave walls were covered in ice. Suddenly, the wind howled from inside the Ice Path and flew into the direction of May and Drew, causing May to shiver when it touched her skin. "Yep, this is the Ice Path," Drew said.

Drew then looked at May, who was not exactly dressed for a colder climate (a sleeveless shirt and shorts). "So…we're here now," Drew mentioned again. "Do you want to go through it now, or just wait until tomorrow?"

"I think the sooner we get through this the better," May said.

"Well, if you really want to go through this Ice Path, you might want to wear this."

Drew took off his purple over-shirt and drapes it over May. "I know it doesn't really help, since it's short-sleeved, but it's better than nothing," Drew said.

"Ummm…thank you," May said, clutching the short-sleeved shirt (Drew still has his black sweater underneath). May then had an idea. "Actually, I know something that will keep me warm," she said.

She took out a Poké Ball and opened it. Quilava appeared beside May. "Hey Quilava, can you do me a favor and light your back on fire?" asked May.

Quilava nodded her head. She took a deep breath and ignited her back in flames. May and Drew basked in the heat radiating from Quilava. "Oh wow…that'll definitely help us get through this Ice Path," Drew said. "Good thinking May."

"It'll keep us warm and it'll light the way," added May. "Now let's go."

May, Drew, and Quilava began to walk into the Ice Path. "Hey May, are you still going to wear my shirt?" Drew asked.

"Well, why not?" asked May. "I mean…do you want it back?"

"You can keep it…if you want to. I just figured that…"

"Actually it does feel a little warm. And it was so nice of you to offer it to me, I don't want to disrespect your act of kindness."

The two smiled at each other as they traveled down the dark, chilling cave.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MEANWHILE…**

Two Team Galactic grunts and a Galactic Commander were wandering around a dark cavern, using their Bronzor's Flash ability to light the way. The Galactic Commander in question was Commander Mars. She had a map in her hands, using Bronzor as a light source. Commander Neptune and Leader Cyrus were back at their top-secret oilrig in the middle of the ocean. "That Ice Rock has to be around here somewhere," Commander Mars muttered to herself.

"Commander Mars, ma'am," said a grunt. "I know it is rude to question your ways, but I seriously think we are lost."

"Well, even if we are, it's not my fault!" snapped Mars. "Let's see, find a little alcove that sits in between two rocks covered in ice and snow."

Mars looked up and examined the cave walls. "Okay, that narrows it down to…PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE!" shouted Mars, angrily. "Who made this stupid map?"

"It was given to me by Commander Neptune," replied the other grunt.

"Oh well, no wonder it doesn't make sense," Mars said, angrily. "That idiot can't do anything right."

Mars then crumbled up the map in her hands. "Well, I give up! We are hopelessly lost. Let's use the explosives to blast our way out of here."

A grunt then noticed that one of the rocks weren't like the others. Actually, it was a clear rock. The rock was so clear that anyone could see through. "Bronzor, shine your light through that rock!" commanded the grunt.

The Bronzor directed its beam of light through the rock. The light beam refracted into several beams, which shined through other crystals. The crystals illuminated the entire room with colorful beams of light. It was a large room with an entire pit in the center, coated with ice. "Is this the room Leader Cyrus was taking about?" asked the grunt.

"The room with shining crystals, this must be it," Mars said. "If the Ice Rock has to be somewhere, it's here. Now let's start blasting!"

"Yes, ma'am!" the grunts shouted.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: Once again, I'm sorry for the long, unexpected hiatus. I will do my best not to let it happen again, but school and real-life can get in the way. I also had to come up with some way to make Vespiquen less of a brat. More development of Vespiquen will follow this chapter.

I like to remind everybody that I do have a profile on YouTube, FaceBook, MySpace, and Twitter (links can be found on my profile). If you want to be friends or just want to chat, then feel free to hit me up (though, if you want me to be your friend, please make sure that you make me aware that I know you from fanfiction dot net. I delete people that I don't know).

**NEXT TIME: **May and Drew continue to explore the dark caves of the Ice Path, using Quilava as a source of warmth and light. At the same time, Team Galactic and Commander Mars are working on finding and excavating the Ice Rock (which can cause Eevee to evolve into Glaceon).

However, with all of the explosives that Team Galactic are using, the unstable cave walls collapse around May and Drew, trapping the two and separating them from Quilava. With no light or warmth, the two become scared of the pitch-blackness and freezing. Hmmm…let me put it this way, they have to stay warm somehow.

Meanwhile, May's rivals are busy as well. Jahan and his Pokémon continue their training so that they can take on Team Galactic/Rocket (oh, and taking on Mahogany Gym Leader Pryce). Croconaw doesn't like the pressure of his trainer trying to get him to evolve, but if it is for Tyranitar…

And May's other rival, Valerie, continues training for the next contest. However, she won't be using Vaporeon. She will be using some of her other Pokémon, all of which are equally powerful. And it just so happens that she and Jahan are training in the same part of the Lake of Rage.

What will happen to May and Drew in the Ice Cave? Will they figure out Team Galactic's plan? Will Jahan and Valerie actually meet each other? What would happen if they do in fact meet each other?

Find out in the next bone-chilling chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	22. Bruised Egos and Battered Bones!

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By MisterAnimeFan

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

REVIEW REPLIES

**Arysd: **I'm trying to add more ContestShipping moments, but I also don't want to rush it. And as for Jahan and Valerie, let's just say you guys will get a bit of a sneak preview of the next contest that will happen between Valerie and May.

**Linda Chicana:** Thank you! I will do my best to add more ContestShipping moments.

**HUGE pokefan:** Wow…it has been two years! Where does the time go?

Alright, time for another chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"

Enjoy!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Quilava (Flamethrower, Flame Wheel, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

Vespiquen (Power Gem, Toxic, Fury Cutter)

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_May had accidentally captured Vespiquen. She questioned if she should keep the bossy and egotistical Pokémon. She gave Vespiquen the choice of either going back to the wild or staying on May's team. Vespiquen looked as if she was going back to the wild, but Vespiquen stopped._

_After a stern lecture from May and Drew about teamwork and companionship, Vespiquen decided to bond with the rest of May's Pokémon over lunch. Of course, that goes as well as you can imagine. Quilava seems to be the one who resents Vespiquen the most._

_After lunch, May and Drew arrived at the entrance of the Ice Path. The inside of the Ice Path is dark and cold. May released Quilava so that she may light the way and keep the two warm at the same time._

_However, little to their knowledge, Team Galactic is exploring the caves as well. Armed with explosives, they seek the location of the Ice Rock._

_Meanwhile, after Tyranitar turned him away, Jahan decided that the only way to bring Tyranitar back is to drag him back by force. Croconaw would be the only one who could go up against Tyranitar once he evolves into Feraligatr. Jahan decided to focus all of his attention on Croconaw, though Croconaw continues to worry._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Lake of Rage**

"Infernape, use Focus Blast!" Jahan shouted.

Infernape uses his hands to create a ball of energy. He then launches it towards Croconaw. Croconaw dodges Infernape's Focus Blast attack. Croconaw recovers and bares his sharp fangs, ready to attack. "Watch out, Infernape! Use Flare Blitz!" commanded Jahan.

Fire engulfs Infernape's body. Infernape runs towards Croconaw and tackles him. The impact sends Croconaw flying. Croconaw lands with a thud. Burn marks cover his body. Despite the burns, Croconaw pushes himself off the ground and puts his hands up, getting ready to fight once more. "Staraptor, quick! Use Brave Bird!" Jahan shouted.

"_What?_ _I'm fighting two?_" asked Croconaw.

He didn't get an answer as he turns around and barely avoids an attack from Staraptor. "Infernape, use Close Combat!" Jahan shouted.

Infernape quickly runs towards Croconaw and unleashes a furry of punches onto his body. "Come on, Croconaw!" Jahan called out. "You got to focus on the two attacking!"

After the brutal beat down, Croconaw uses his arms to get back on his feet. His body hurts from the burning and beating. Jahan shakes his head disapprovingly. "_Croconaw, I know you don't like this, but this will help you evolve quicker,_" he thought. "Staraptor, use Brave Bird!"

Croconaw slowly turns around and sees Staraptor, flying towards him at a fast rate of speed. Right when Staraptor was about to make contact, Croconaw quickly jumps up onto his back. Croconaw then bites into Staraptor's right wing. "_BBWAAAAKKK!"_ cried Staraptor. "_You little fanged brat! Get off me!_"

Staraptor shakes his wing, trying to shake Croconaw loose. With an injured wing, he flies erratically. He continues to flutter, trying to keep himself stable. "Oh wow, that's actually pretty smart of Croconaw," commented Jahan.

Suddenly, a big blast of electricity flies up in the air, striking Croconaw and Staraptor. "What in the world?" Jahan asks. "Where did that come from?"

Zapped by the electricity, Staraptor and Croconaw begin to fall from the sky. Croconaw lands in the Lake while Staraptor lands with a thud on the ground. "Oh no Croconaw!" Jahan shouts, worriedly.

Jahan quickly jumps into the Lake and swims over to Croconaw. His other Pokémon tends to Staraptor's aid. Jahan grabs Croconaw and lifts him up above the water. "Croconaw, are you okay?" asked Jahan. Croconaw didn't answer. The Electric attack paralyzed his body.

Jahan swims back to the shore with Croconaw in his hands. He places Croconaw face-up on the ground. "Croconaw, answer me!" demanded Jahan. "Tell me you're okay."

"_My…my whole body is…paralyzed,_" murmured Croconaw.

"Hey you!" shouted a voice.

Jahan looks up and sees a black-haired girl wearing a yellow dress standing over him. "You are interrupting my training!" she shouted. "Be gone with you!"

Her assistant Harold and a Jolteon stands besides her. Jahan grew upset. "So it was YOU who zapped my Pokémon!"

"You should have been aware that I was using these grounds for training," the girl said.

"How would I be aware of you? I don't even know who you are!" argued Jahan.

"You do not know who I am?" Valerie asked. "I am Valerie White, the daughter of Albert White. Perhaps you know him?"

"Albert White? Wait…you mean that guy who owns this really big construction company?" Jahan asked.

"That's right!" replied Valerie. "Albert White is the owner of White Steel Construction Inc. He has helped to built many of the world's famous buildings. The Silph Company Building, the Devin Corporation Building, the Goldenrod Radio Tower, almost every Battle Frontier facility, my father has placed his hand in their creation, and he became very rich! He could own your family if he wanted to!"

Jahan and the rest of his Pokémon looked at her. "Well, that's all fine and good," Jahan replied, rather calmly. He picked Croconaw up and applied a Paralyz Heal to him and Staraptor. "I mean, I understand that your father has worked hard to get where he is today. He is very successful and he has all the right to brag about his achievements. I respect him for that."

"Oh…well…thank you for understanding my position here," boasted Valerie.

"Yeah but that's your father though," continued Jahan. "He is the great one here. You are just his spoiled little daughter. You have done nothing that is worthy of respect from others."

His comments offend Valerie. "Hey! You show me some respect!" she shouted, angrily. "Who are you to say that I deserve no credit? What about you? Have you done anything worth while in your life?"

"Oh, ho-ho! Yes I have!" boasted Jahan. "Brace yourself, for you are in the presence of a former Pokémon League champion!"

Valerie looks at him with a skeptic look. "You said _**former**_ Pokémon League Champion," she mentions. "That means that you lost the title to someone else. How pathetic."

"Hey!" shouted Jahan.

"And for your information, I am one of the most popular Coordinators in the Johto region."

"Oh, you're a Coordinator, huh?"

"That's right."

"Then, you have no right to use this land…Coordinator!"

"Why not? And what does me being a Coordinator have to do with anything?"

"Look I need this area to train for the Pokémon League! What are you going to do? Practice making your Pokémon beautiful?"

"My Pokémon are not only beautiful and stylish, but we are very powerful indeed!"

Valerie takes out a few more Poké Balls and releases the Pokémon inside: a Vaporeon, Flareon, and Umbreon. "And just to prove it, I'm going to challenge you to a battle!" offered Valerie. "It'll be your Pokémon against mine, one-on-one!"

"Are you serious?" asked Jahan.

"I'm serious! Whoever wins gets to keep training here, the other has to leave!"

"Alright then, you're on!"

Jahan looks at Valerie's four Pokémon, all of which were evolutions of Eevee. "What's with you and Eevee evolutions?" he asked.

"Just pick one!" snapped Valerie.

"Alright fine! I'll take on…the Flareon!"

"Alright then! And I want to face…your Infernape!"

"Seriously? You really want to lose here, don't you? When Infernape fights, he doesn't mess around!" boasted Jahan.

"Neither does Flareon!"

"We shall see about that!"

Valerie then turned to her assistant. "Harold, you shall be the referee!" ordered Valerie.

"As you wish, mistress," Harold obliged.

Everyone then takes their positions on the field. Jahan and Valerie stands opposite and apart from each other while Harold stands in the center of the two, off to the side.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**AT THE ICE PATH…**

May and Drew continues exploring the dark and cold Ice Path. Quilava lights the way and keeps the two trainers warm with the flame on her back. Despite this, The Ice Path continues to be very dark. The cavern hallways twists and turns, disorienting the two.

May looks around worriedly. "Calm down May," Drew said. "You seem very jittery."

"I'm just worried," replied May.

"About what?" asked Drew. "If it's us getting lost, we are not lost. The Ice Path is just a very long cave. It'll take a long time for us to get out of here."

"Still…"

"Just relax. We're going to make it."

"Are you sure?"

"Just trust me. A man always has a good sense of direction."

May and Quilava laughs at Drew's comment. "Hey, shut up!" snapped Drew.

All three of them walked for a few more minutes before coming across a fork in the road. The Ice Path goes off into two different directions. May and Drew's stomachs sink as they looked at the fork. "_Wow…this is going to be fun, won't it?_" Quilava asked.

"So…what do we do now?" asked May. "You seem to know where we are going."

"Is that sarcasm?" Drew asked.

"We're lost, just admit it."

"No, we're not! I know exactly where we are going."

Drew steps a little bit forward and looks at the two pathways. He then points at the path on the left. "There! That's where we need to go!" Drew says, confidently.

"What makes you so sure?" May asked.

"Because Mahogany Town is west of Blackthorn City, so we must take the left route," explained Drew.

"_That…sort of makes sense,_" Quilava replied.

"Just trust me on this," Drew said.

Drew then begins to walk down the path on the left. Quilava and May still contemplated on following after him. Drew turns back at the two. "Come on Quilava," Drew said. "It's really dark down here."

May and Quilava look at each other. "_Well, there's a good chance that he might actually be right,_" Quilava said. "_It's pretty much 50/50 here._"

May says nothing. The two quickly runs up to catch up with Drew.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

While May and Drew were exploring the caves, Commander Mars and her Team Galactic grunts had set up a makeshift construction site in the center of a cave. The high-powered lights shine light on the usually pitch-black area. Several grunts stood in the pit, digging their way through the snow, hoping to find the Ice Rock.

Commander Mars smirks as she continues to supervise the operation. "Commander Mars," called out a Galactic grunt. "Leader Cyrus would like to have a word with you!"

Commander Mars walks over to a laptop computer, where Leader Cyrus appears via live satellite from the Galactic Oil Rig. "Good day sir," greeted Mars. "How are you?"

"I can't complain," replied Cyrus. "What is the status on locating the Ice Rock?"

"We believe to have found the location of the Ice Rock."

"Believe? That does not cut it! We need that rock! That rock has unknown energy that could be used in our plan in creating our new world!"

"Don't worry sir. I'll make sure that we come home with the Ice Rock in tow."

"You have better! Meanwhile, I will contact the contractor company in charge of the Mount Silver Galactic Base and see if we can get some sort of reparations from him."

"Who built the Mount Silver Base?"

"I don't know. I believe his name is…something…White. He's a rich guy. I'm sure he has money to spend. Anyway, find that Ice Rock! Cyrus out!"

Cyrus then disappears from the computer screen. "Umm...Commander Mars, we have a bit of a situation here!" shouted a grunt.

"What do you mean?" asked Mars.

"We cannot keep digging," explained the grunt.

"What? Why not?" Mars asked, angrily.

"There seems to be a sheet of ice in the way. Our shovels cannot break through it."

"Are you serious?" asked Mars.

Mars climbs down the makeshift ladder into the pit. She reaches down and wipes some of the snow from the ground. True to the grunt's word, there was a hard sheet of ice in the way. She taps the ground. The ground was hard. "Hmmmm..." she muttered. "Well, I was not expecting this. Do we have any Pokémon that could possibly break through this?"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Flareon, use Sunny Day!" shouted Valerie.

Flareon points up to the sun and shoots out a stream of fire, intensifying the sun's rays. "You really want to lose, don't you?" asked Jahan. The sun's powered-up rays allows for both Flareon and Infernape to gain more power for their Fire-type attacks. "Infernape, finish Flareon with Close Combat!"

Infernape runs up to Flareon, but Flareon stands her ground. "Flareon, use Protect!" commanded Valerie.

Flareon crouches down and creates a light orange barrier. Infernape tries to punch the barrier, but the barrier reflects his attacks. A shock causes Infernape to back away. "That's nice. Hide behind a shield!" complained Jahan. "Nothing can stop Infernape! Infernape, use Focus Blast now!"

Infernape rears his arms back and creates a ball of energy in his hands. He shuts his eyes as he focuses his energy towards the Focus Blast. He then launches it towards Flareon. "I have a blast for you as well," taunted Valerie. "Flareon, now use Fire Blast!"

The barrier disappears as Flareon quickly dodges the Focus Blast attack, gathers fire energy into her mouth, and sends out a fiery attack shaped like kanji. Because of Sunny Day, the attack looks bigger. "A Fire Blast attack is not going to do anything to Infernape!" boasted Jahan. "Infernape, show her your powerful fire prowess. Use Flare Blitz!"

Infernape psyches himself up, covering his entire body in fire. The intense sun rays shined onto him, allowing Infernape's fire to grow bigger. He charges towards the Fire Blast, looking like a gigantic fireball. The Fire Blast dissipates once it touches Infernape. It doesn't stop Infernape. "Now Flareon, use Giga Impact!" Valerie shouted.

Almost instantly, Flareon appears from out of nowhere and charges Infernape head-on while glimmering with energy. She charges and makes impact with Infernape head-to-head. Jahan and the other Pokémon worries as Infernape stops and the fire around him dies down. Flareon jumps back down onto the ground. Infernape stands standing.

Then, Infernape falls down onto the ground unconscious. "What?" Jahan asked, angrily.

Harold takes a closer look at Infernape. "I hereby decree that Infernape cannot continue battling," announced Harold. "The winner of this battle is Mistress Valerie!"

"What? No! NO!" argued Jahan.

"Face it. Your Infernape cannot continue fighting. You lost!" Valerie said.

"Infernape can still fight…and then he can win!"

Jahan runs ups to the fallen Infernape. "Infernape, come on!" he shouted. "Get up!"

Infernape didn't answer. It only groans in agony. Valerie shakes her head disapprovingly. "I believe the wager was that whoever loses the battle has to leave the Lake of Rage for the rest of the day," reminded Valerie. "So make good on your end of the bargain and leave."

"You cheated," replied Jahan.

"How? I did nothing. Flareon is just better than Infernape!"

"And yet you use it for Pokémon Contests?"

"Why not? I can use my Pokémon however I want. Now quit stalling and leave this place."

Jahan glares at Valerie while he held Infernape. "What? Let's get a move on!" ordered Valerie.

Jahan reluctantly takes out a Poké Ball and returns his Infernape into his Poké Ball. He takes out the rest of the Poké Balls and retreats the rest of his team, except for Croconaw. "_Are we seriously leaving now?_" Croconaw asked.

"She won the match," muttered Jahan. "As much as I hate to do so, a bet's a bet."

He then began walking away angrily with Croconaw in tow. "If it makes you feel better, your Infernape could easily defeat the gym leader of Mahogany Town," Valerie said.

Jahan turns around and glares at Valerie. "Really? You think I was training for the gym?" Jahan asked, angrily. "You just don't get it, do you?"

"Of course not!" replied Valerie. "You never told me what you were doing here. And now I don't really care! Get out of the Lake of Rage like we agreed."

Jahan continues to glare at Valerie. He turns around and continues to walk down the dirt road. "Hey, hold on a second!" Valerie called out.

"Yes?" Jahan asked, a bit annoyed.

"Look, I'm really confused do not know why you hate Pokémon Coordinators. But I am free to use my Pokémon however I want. And my Pokémon love to be in contests. You do not have the right to tell me what to do with my Poké...HEY, WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME?"

Jahan just continues to walk down the dirt path. He ignores everything Valerie says. "Yeah! Go ahead and run away, you coward!" taunted Valerie.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Back in the Ice Path, Commander Mars's Purugly had been released and had spent the last hour trying to slash through the ice. The Purugly barely left any scratches.

"Nothing is working, Commander Mars," one scientist said.

"Really? I thought it was going well so far," Mars replied, sarcastically. "Alright, let's just use the explosives we brought and blast our way through."

"Isn't that a bit extreme?"

"I'm not going to use all of the explosives. We'll use just enough to blast through the ice."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

May and Drew continued to explore the dark caverns. Soon, the two reach a very narrow space. Quilava offers to try to squeeze through herself, but she finds difficulty. "_Hold on, I can do this!_" grunted Quilava.

"Forget it, you can't go through," May said. "It's too small. Let's just go back."

"No way, we have to go forward!" argued Drew.

Quilava keeps trying to squeeze herself through, but to no avail. "_Yeah, May is right,_" Quilava said. "_I can't fit. Let's just go back._"

"Oh, come on! You guys are such quitters!" complained Drew. "Here, I'll go through first and then May, you'll follow after me."

"I'm not going to fit," May said, "and neither will you."

"Oh yeah? Watch me."

Drew walks past Quilava and then walks into the narrow hallway. Drew tries to wiggle himself through. The jagged rocks on the sides grabbed onto his shirt, trapping him for a minute. "See?" asked May.

"Hold on! I'm almost through!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

In the other room, the Team Galactic grunts had placed explosives inside the pit. It was not a substantial amount, but there were quite a lot of explosives.

A demolitions expert climbs up the ladder. "I think that should be enough explosives," he said. "If not, it will have to do."

"Alright, everybody! Clear out now!" demanded Mars.

The Team Galactic team begins to run far away from the explosive-filled pit.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After much struggling, Drew had finally made it through the narrow crevice. "You see?" he asked. "I told you I can fit. Now come on, May!"

"Well..."

May turns to Quilava. "But wait, what about Quilava? She can't make it through."

"After you go through here, just put Quilava into her Poké Ball and then release her back here on the other side," suggested Drew.

May again turns to Quilava. Quilava nods her head approvingly. May turns back to Drew. "Come on, hurry up!" shouted Drew.

"Alright, hold on!" shouted May.

May walks past Quilava and begins to wiggle through the crevice. She manages to get through with little problems.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Team Galactic had cleared the pit and were hiding behind barriers that they have set up around the room. "Is everyone ready?" the scientist asked.

"Is everybody clear?" asked Commander Mars.

"Everyone is accounted for Commander!" shouted a grunt.

Commanders Mars turns to the demolition expert. "Alright, let's blast through this ice!" Commander Mars shouted.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After May had squeezed through the crevice, she turned back towards Quilava, who was on the other side of the crevice. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out her Poké Ball. "Okay Quilava, I'm going to return you to your Poké Ball just for a little bit," she said.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Three...two...one...BOOM!" shouted the demolition expert as he pressed the button on the detonator. The explosives in the pit explode, sending snow and ice into the air.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

As May was about to retreat Quilava into her Poké Ball, the ground begins to rumble. The tremor causes May and Drew to lose their balance. "What's going on?" asked May.

"I don't know!" Drew shouted, frantically.

"_No! An earthquake!_" Quilava shouted, worriedly.

A giant rock falls from the ceiling, barely missing May. The giant rock scared May, making her stumble backwards. "May, watch out!" Drew shouted. Drew reaches out and grabs her shirt. Nonetheless, May pulls Drew along with her down into a dark abyss. The two screams as they fell into the long, pitch-black hole. As the fall, their bodies bashes against the rocky walls.

Soon enough, the two hit the bottom of the dark pit, landing with a hard thud. Rubble and small pebbles cover both Drew and May. It was completely dark. Drew couldn't see anything in front of him. "Ow," he groaned.

"_Are you okay?_" Quilava asked.

She didn't hear a reply. "_Hello? Are you guys hurt?_" she called out.

Drew uses his right arm to sit himself upright. "Ow...that really hurt," he complained again. "Oh man, I can't see anything. Wait, hold on."

Drew reaches into his pocket and takes out his PokéNav. He presses a button, making the screen lit up. He uses the light from the PokéNav to have some light in the room. "That was some fall," he muttered to himself. "Where are we?"

"_Somebody answer me!_" Quilava shouted.

Drew looks up and sees an orange hue from up high. "Quilava, I'm fine!" Drew shouted back.

"_What about May?_" asked Quilava.

"May!"

Drew quickly looks around, pointing his PokéNav to light up his sight. "May? May!" he shouted.

He crawls around, looking for May. "Where is she?" Drew asked.

"_Where's May?_" Quilava asked, frantically.

"Hold on! I'm looking for her!" Drew shouted.

Then, Drew finds May, unconscious, lying on a bed of sharp rocks. He grew worried. "Oh no," he said. He quickly runs up and examines May. "May, are you okay?" he asked, worriedly. May didn't say anything. Panicking, Drew looks all around him, looking for somewhere to go. "_Did you find May?_ _Is May okay?_" Quilava asked.

Ignoring Quilava, Drew took his jacket off and placed it over May, providing her with some cover and warmth. Carefully, Drew lifts her head up, checking for any injuries. "_Answer me! I'm tired of being ignored!_" Quilava shouted, angrily.

"Hold on!" Drew shouted, assertively.

Then, Drew felt something that made him feel very uneasy. He takes out his hand and looks at it. On his hand...was May's blood. He tilts her head carefully and saw a big gash in the back of her head. "Oh god...no..." he muttered, worriedly. He turns his head back up to where Quilava was. "Quilava, this isn't good!" Drew shouted. "May's hurt real bad!"

"_What?_" Quilava replied, horrified. "_What can I do? I can't get through this crevice!_"

"No, don't! Just...umm...hold on."

Drew reaches down and grabs one of his Poké Balls. He also reaches into May's pockets and grabs one of the Poké Balls. He throws them into the air and releases Vespiquen and Masquerain. "_Where are we?_" Masquerain asked.

"_Yes...and why is it so cold?_" Vespiquen asked.

"There's no time to explain!" Drew shouted. "Long story short, May tripped and got hurt real bad. I need you two to fly up there with Quilava and find another way down here!"

"_What happened to May?_" Masquerain asked.

"I'll explain later. Please, just go!" Drew demanded.

"_Why do I have to go with him?_" Vespiquen asked, rudely

"I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH YOU! JUST SHUT UP AND DO WHAT I SAID!" Drew shouted, rather hoarsely.

"_Okay, okay!_" Vespiquen said. "_Very well. I'll obey your orders. Let's go..."_

Vespiquen and Masquerain quickly fly up to where Quilava is. "_What happened to May?_" Quilava asked.

"_She got hurt,_" explained Masquerain. "_The three of us have to find some other way down to where they are._"

"_Yes...and we cannot mess around!_" Vespiquen said. "_We must make haste!_"

The three Pokémon quickly turns around and goes back the way we came. Drew and May remained alone at the bottom of the pit. Drew looks over May's unconscious body. He then looks down at his hand, covered in May's blood. He squeezes his hand and raises both of his knuckles to his forehead. "May...I'm...I'm sorry," he began sobbing. "I'm such an idiot!"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: Sorry for the long wait. Again, schoolwork and real-life has interfered...

Anyway, I hope you guys will notice that I have definitely worked on the problems with tenses and parallelism. Hopefully, it looks a little better. Please give comments on it! I want to know what you guys think about the tenses.

**NEXT TIME: **Masquerain, Quilava, and Vespiquen quickly hurries down the caverns of the Ice Path, hoping to find a way to their injured trainer. Unfortunately, as it turns out, Quilava and Vespiquen can't help but argue about every single thing. First about which way to go and then to whose fault it was.

Meanwhile, Drew blames himself for May's injuries and does what he can do to keep May safe and warm. While he's doing that, the rest of the Pokémon try to find a way up the steep, almost 90-degree rocky hill.

Will May come out the Ice Path okay? Will Team Galactic find their sough-after Ice Rock? And what will Jahan learn from his loss against Valerie?

Find out in the suspense-filled chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	23. Vespiquen and Quilava! Peace at Last?

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By MisterAnimeFan

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**NOTE**: I re-edited to fix a few mistakes and to change story back in past tense.

REVIEW REPLIES

**Arysd:** Yeah, I'm going to elaborate more on Valerie and her family once the Mahogany Town Contest is over. And Drew's Absol does know Flash, but I forgot about it in the last chapter. Whoops!

**Linda Chicana:** Glad you found the joke funny...and the last part with May getting hurt was actually a last minute thing. I'm happy most people found it suspenseful.

**HUGE pokefan:** Don't worry, I'm going to explain Jahan's hatred of Coordinators in just a few more chapters. Please, be patient.

**xxxMayXDrewxxx: **Hmmm...interesting idea...

**Kahtita:** I'm hoping that satisfies all of the ContestShippers who have been wanting some moments between the two.

**Silver-Angelic-Lily:** Don't worry, Jahan's reason for hating Coordinators will be explained in the future.

**NotSoSlightCrazy:** No, actually Team Galactic was trying to find a way to the Ice Rock.

**M the gate: **I think somebody has been watching "Yu-Gi-Oh: the Abridged Series" recently ("Yugi, you can't die! You are a main character!). LOL...

I was very surprised at just how many reviews I got for the last chapter! Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing my fanfiction! I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Happy reading!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Quilava (Flamethrower, Flame Wheel, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

Vespiquen (Power Gem, Toxic, Fury Cutter)

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_Jahan made Croconaw battle against Staraptor and Infernape so that he can evolve into Feraligatr. However, Valerie interrupted the two, which infuriated him. The two had a battle: Jahan's Infernape versus Valerie's Flareon. To everyone's amazement and surprise, Valerie's Flareon managed to defeat Jahan's Infernape easily. As Jahan walked away, Valerie called him out on his hatred for Coordinators, but he doesn't answer her calls or her questions._

_Meanwhile, May and Drew continued to explore the pitch-black caves of the Ice Path. May grew worried as she insists that she and Drew are lost. Drew continues to deny the claim. The two soon reached a fork in a road. Having to decide between the two, Drew decided to take the left path. May was still a bit uneasy about the decision._

_As they explored the Ice Path, Team Galactic were on a mission to excavate the Ice Rock and harass its unknown energy. When they came across a sheet of ice, they decided to use explosives to blow through it. Unfortunately, as the bomb went off, the impact caused May and Drew to lose their footing and fall down a large hole. Drew was shocked to see that May had a gash in her head that was causing her to lose a lot of blood. Drew released Vespiquen and Masquerain so that they can help Quilava find help for the trapped Drew and May._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Ice Path**

Quilava, Vespiquen, and Masquerain quickly ran/flew down the dark pathways. "_Hurry up, Quilava!_" shouted Vespiquen. "_I require light to navigate these caves!_"

"_Don't order me around!_" snapped Quilava.

"_We cannot dilly-dally!_" continued Vespiquen. "_Time is of a factor here! May's life is in dire jeopardy!_"

"_Why do you care about her anyway?_" argued Quilava.

"_Look you two! Now is not the time to be fighting!_" shouted Masquerain. "_We have to find a way out of here and get help!_"

Vespiquen and Quilava glared at each other. "_Let's go, Quilava! Stop wasting time!_" ordered Vespiquen.

"_Yeah, yeah! I'm coming!_" Quilava shouted back. She then continued running with Vespiquen and Masquerain.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Drew was at the bottom of the large hole, watching over May as she lied unconscious. He panicked as he saw a small puddle of blood forming below her head. He covered his face with his palms, trying in vain to keep himself together. He couldn't help but remember the exact details of what happened.

_**FLASHBACK...**_

_As May was about to retreat Quilava into her Poké Ball, the ground begins to rumble. The tremor causes May and Drew to lose their balance. "What's going on?" asked May._

"_I don't know!" Drew shouted, frantically._

"_No! An earthquake!" Quilava shouted, worriedly. _

_A giant rock falls from the ceiling, barely missing May. The giant rock scared May, making her stumble backwards. "May, watch out!" Drew shouted. Drew reaches out and grabs her shirt. Nonetheless, May pulls Drew along with her down into a dark abyss. The two screams as they fell into the long, pitch-black hole. As the fall, their bodies bashes against the rocky walls._

_Soon enough, the two hit the bottom of the dark pit, landing with a hard thud._

"Stupid, stupid!" he shouted as he banged his knuckles against his forehead. "Why did I have to grab onto her and drag her down? It's all my fault she's like this."

He then remembered what happened before that...when the two reached a fork in the road. He went with his gut despite May's worries. "I should have listened to her," he mutters, sadly. "If I had just gone right instead of left, maybe we wouldn't have ended up here."

He covered his eyes as he hyperventilates. He tried to force back the tears, but some managed to escape. He put his hand down and looked around. He saw May, still lying face-up unconscious and bleeding from the back of her head. He wiped his eyes dry and got up on his feet. "_What am I doing crying?_" he thought to himself. "_It won't do any good. I have to man up and find a way out of here._"

He reached into his pocket, took out his PokéNav, and used the light to look around the hole. But the light did little good for him. "Oh man, I wish this light was a little brighter," he murmured.

He looked at his PokéNav and realized something. "Wait a minute...the PokéNav!" he exclaimed. "I can use the cell phone feature and call for help!" Without hesitation, he pressed a few numbers on the PokéNav. The small device beeped for a minute before a message appears. It said that there was no reception. Drew got angry. "Are you kidding me?" he asked, angrily.

He threw the PokéNav towards his feet, doing a lot of damage to it. "_Alright, got to think of something else,_" he thought.

He paced around the room, figuring out a way to get out of the hole. But he suddenly turns back to May, lying on the ground. The blood remains below her head. "Actually I should probably stop May's head from bleeding," he muttered quietly.

He looked around for something to use as a bandage. There wasnt really much since she was already wearing his jacket and Drew didn't have a first-aid kit in his bag. But then, he noticed the headband on May's head. "I wonder what would happen if I did that," he muttered.

He carefully took it off her head and re-tied in a way that it covered the gash. "Yeah, that'll work," he said. "Now back to trying to get out of here."

He looked up and saw the crevice in which the two fell. He walked up to the rock wall that lead up to the crevice. He pressed his foot slightly against the wall which caused the dirt and gravel to slide. "_The wall is too loose for me to climb,_" thought Drew. He then had another idea. "_But I wonder if the Pokémon can._"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"_Do you know where we are going?_" Masquerain asked Vespiquen.

"_I doubt she does,_" murmured Quilava.

"_There is only one path here,_" reminded Vespiquen. "_How can we get lost? Try having some faith in me._"

"_I'll pass,_" sneered Quilava.

Vespiquen turned around and looked at Quilava. "_What is wrong with you?_" she asked, angrily.

"_What do you mean? I'm doing nothing wrong,_" answered Quilava.

"_Um...guys,_" interrupted Masquerain.

"_Not now, Masquerain!_" snapped Vespiquen. "_You are always in such a grumpy mood and you are never willing to give me a chance._"

"_You think after what you did to me, you'll get a chance?_" Quilava asked, angrily.

"_Oh my, are you still hung up about that? That was the past! Get over it!_" Vespiquen shouted back.

"_You know we should be..._" murmured Masquerain.

"_You really think I would just forgive you after you poisoned me, tried to attack my trainer, and berated me?_" Quilava asked, angrily.

"_I am a changed Pokémon,_" defended Vespiquen. "_That was the old me!_"

"_There is no old you!_" snapped Quilava. "_Who you were before is who you are now! This whole "I care about May" thing is just some façade you're using to trick us!_"

"_You know, time is a factor here_," reminded Masquerain.

"_I have changed_!" argued Vespiquen. "_You just have yet to let me prove it to you._"

"_Well, prove it now!_" shouted Masquerain. "_Stop arguing with Quilava and let's hurry up and get out of this freaking cave! You too, Quilava!"_

Quilava and Vespiquen glared at each other one more time. The two then followed Masquerain down the path.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"_Here we go!_" shouted Blaziken. Blaziken jumped up onto the wall. He then pushed himself off the wall and latched onto the opposite side of the hole (like a ninja). He quickly turned around and saw that the top of the hole is in sight. He jumped off the wall and tried to reach the opening. Unfortunately, he came up a little bit short. He tried to hold on using his claws, but the loose rock and gravel made it difficult. His claws slipped and Blaziken began to fall fall back down. He landed face-first onto the ground. "_Oowww..._" he groaned.

He lifted his head up and sees Wartortle smirking. "_Ha...wow. Fail,_" Wartortle smirked.

"_Shut up!_" snapped Blaziken.

Drew had released some of the other Pokémon to see if any of them could climb up the hill. So far, none of them were able to get to the top.

"_There has to be someway to get up there,_" said Munchlax.

"_You know, even if we do get up there,_" Eevee mentioned, "_none of us could squeeze through the opening._"

"_You probably could,_" replied Munchlax. "_But then again, Drew said that Quilava, Vespiquen, and Masquerain are out there and they're not back yet_."

"_What...Vespiquen and Quilava?_" Wartortle asked. "_Yep, we are definitely screwed_."

"No, we are not!" protested Drew. "Everything will be fine! We just need to work out a solution."

"_It would be better if there was more light_," suggested Blaziken.

"Well, too bad," replied Drew. "The PokéNav is the best I can do for now."

"_Don't any of your Pokémon know Flash?_" Blaziken asked.

"I don't think so," answered Drew.

"_I thought your Absol knew Flash_," mentioned Eevee.

Drew thought to himself. Once he realized, he smacked himself on the forehead. "_You just remembered?_" Munchlax asked.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Back with Quilava, Vespiquen, and Masquerain, the three had reached a fork in the road. "_Oh, isn't this fantastic?_" Masquerain asked, in a sarcastic tone. "_Another fork in the road!_"

"_We must exercise caution in making this decision,_" warned Vespiquen. "_Less we want to fall down another pit_."

"_Well, me, Drew, and May went down the left path last time_," reminded Quilava, "_so the best way is to go right._"

"_Are you sure that's the road you want to travel?_" Vespiquen asked.

"_Of course! I know that's the right way to go!_" Quilava shouted.

"_But how do you know?_" Masquerain asked.

"_Yes Quilava, please clarify how you are so certain that that will led us to the outside_," said Vespiquen.

"_Why do you have to question everything I say?_" Quilava asked, angrily.

"_Because it sounds stupid!_" answered Vespiquen. "_From what you are saying, we should go right because we went left last time and it took us into a trap of sorts. How is that logical._"

"_It...it...it just is, okay?_" answered Quilava.

"_Wow...that definitely convinces me_," Vespiquen said, sarcastically.

"_Oh, just shut up and let's go!_" shouted Quilava.

Quilava began to walk down the right path. Masquerain turned to Vespiquen. "_Are you coming?_" asked the winged Pokémon.

Vespiquen remained quiet for a moment. She looked down at the left path. "_Come on!_" shouted Quilava. "_Let's get a move on!_"

"_I think this is the path we should take_," she muttered.

"_Oh really? Well then, why do you think that?_" asked Quilava.

"_Just trust me_," Vespiquen said. "_I think this path will take us to the outside._"

Quilava and Masquerain continued looking at Vespiquen. "_Yeah...let's go down this path,_" Quilava said.

"_Oh come on! Won't you trust me here?_" Vespiquen asked.

"_Ummm...after you beat me, taunt me..._" began Quilava.

"_Oh my goodness, please!_" interrupted Vespiquen. "_Just forget about what happened before! That was in the past!_"

"_You can't force me to forgive you so easily!_" shouted Quilava.

"_Oh geez, not this again_," groaned Masquerain.

"_I won't ever believe that you have changed for the better_," argued Quilava.

Vespiquen sighed out of frustration. "_You know what? You're right!_" agreed Vespiquen. "_I haven't __**completely**__ changed. In fact, I still hate you and I still think you are on a lower ranking than I._"

"_I knew it!_" Quilava shouted. "_You're still selfish and spoiled!_"

"_But I really do wish to change that,_" continued Vespiquen. "_But you are not making that easy for me._"

"_Of course not! Not everything can be handed you! Sometimes you have to work for it!_"

"_Guys, May is in trouble,_" mentioned Masquerain.

"_Oh that's right Masquerain! Thanks for reminding me!_" Quilava said. "_Now, I'm going to do the right thing and just walk away from this argument. Now let's go down this path and get out of this cave._"

"_I still think this is the path we should..._"

"_Just shut up and go with us!_" interrupted Quilava.

Quilava and Masquerain began to go down the right path, but Vespiquen refused to budge. Vespiquen then began to think to herself. "_Are you coming or not?_" Quilava asked. Vespiquen didn't give a response as she continued thinking. "_Hey, are you listening to me?_" Quilava asked, more sternly this time.

"_I finally understand the problem_," Vespiquen said, finally.

"_What problem?_" Quilava asked.

"_I know why you won't forgive me._"

"_Because you don't deserve my forgiveness?_" asked Quilava.

"_It's because I never apologized,_" replied Vespiquen. "_You see, I always just said 'forget about it' or 'let it go,' but now I understand why you won't do that._"

Vespiquen flew closer to Quilava. "_Quilava, I am sorry for what happened between us in the past,_" apologized Vespiquen._ "I am sorry for attacking you and taunting you. But I am a changed Pokémon now. I wish to make peace between you and I._"

Quilava looked at Vespiquen with skepticism. "_Why should I accept your apology?_" asked Quilava.

"_Because I really mean it,_" answered Vespiquen.

"_That and for every minute you spend talking about this, May is getting worse and worse,_" added Masquerain.

"_Yes Quilava, let's just let bygones be bygones and go down this way_."

"_I still don't think that's the right way to go,_" Quilava said.

"_I just have this hunch that this is the way to go,_" explained Vespiquen. "_Please Quilava, just trust me for once. If we go this way, we'll find the way out. Just trust me._"

Quilava looked at Vespiquen and Masquerain. She contemplated on whether to believe Vespiquen or not. "_Well...okay, but only because May is really in trouble here,_" agreed Quilava. Vespiquen smiled as the three goes down the left path.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Absol, use Flash!" Drew commanded. Absol's forehead lights up brightly, illuminating the room brightly. "That's better," commented Drew. "Thank you, Absol."

"_Now then, what to do?_" Wartortle asked.

"_Why don't __**you**__ try going up?_" Blaziken asked. "_You think you can do better? Prove it!_"

"Guys, stop fighting! Focus!" commanded Drew.

Drew and the other Pokémon continued to look up at the hole. They tried to formulate a plan. "_I got it!_" Munchlax shouted. "_Maybe Bayleef can use her Vine Whip to get herself up there!_"

"_Hey yeah! That could work!_" agreed Eevee.

"Hmmm...that might work," muttered Drew. He then sighed out of frustration. "Oh wait, I forgot. There's a narrow opening at the top. I doubt Bayleef can fit through."

"_Well...I think it's worth a shot,_" said Blaziken.

Everyone then heard a small moan. They quickly turned around and saw May slowly tossing and turning underneath Drew's jacket. "May?" Drew asked.

Blaziken quickly kneeled at her side. "_May, are you okay?_" Blaziken asked. Drew then pushed Blaziken aside. May squirmed around a bit more. "May?" Drew asked again. May then slowly opened her eyes, much to Drew's surprise. Drew just smiled as May regained consciousness. "You're okay!" he shouted happily. "You're okay!" He puts his arms around her and hugs her tightly. May still had no idea what was going on. "I was so worried," whispered Drew.

"Ow! My head...it hurts..." she complained.

"Oh yeah!" Drew quickly let her go. "Yeah, you bumped your head," explained Drew.

May quietly sat herself up right. She rubbed the back of her head, but Drew stopped her. "Don't!" he said. "Or else you'll make the cut in your head worse."

"What happened?" asked May. "Where am I? And why is it so cold?"

"We're in the Ice Path and we fell down a large pit," explained Drew. "You hit your head on the rocks and that's why it's bleeding. But don't worry, we're trying our best to get out of here!"

May then noticed the jacket she was wearing and that her headband was tied in a different position. "Yeah...I gave you the jacket to keep you warm since Quilava is out to get help," explained Drew.

"Oh...thank you," May said.

May then looked around the cave. "Where's Vespiquen?" May asked again.

"_She, Vespiquen, and Masquerain are trying to find an exit and probably get some help_," repeated Munchlax.

"Quilava...and Vespiquen?" asked May, shocked. She then grabbed her head. "Oh no..." she groaned.

"Why does nobody have faith in the two?" Drew asked.

"_Let me answer your question with another,_" explained Wartortle. "_How long have the three been gone for?_"

Drew looked at his PokéNav (whose screen is broken because of Drew throwing it around earlier) and checked the time. He gulped when he saw the time. "They have been gone for more than an hour," Drew muttered.

All of the Pokémon let out a frustrated sigh. "My head hurts even more now," complained May.

"_Hello_?" called out a voice from above.

Everyone looked up to see whoever is at the top. "_Is anyone stuck down there?_" asked another voice.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

At the Mahogany Town Pokémon Center, Jahan and his Pokémon waited for Infernape, Staraptor, and Croconaw. They were badly injured after Valerie's Pokémon fought the three. He had to take them to the Pokémon Center to heal them.

Jahan scowled as he sat on a bench, waiting for his Pokémon. Luxray remained by his side. He looked up at his upset trainer. "_It's okay master,_" reassured Luxray. "_It doesn't matter if you lost to a Coordinator. The only people who know about it are you, her, and her butler._"

"That fact that I know is more than enough," sulked Jahan.

Soon, a 'ding' noise sounded throughout the Pokémon Center. Jahan got up and walked up to the counter. Nurse Joy handed Jahan his Poké Balls. "Here you are, your Pokémon's all better," smiled Nurse Joy.

"Thank you very much," Jahan said.

As Jahan walked back towards Luxray, he overheard a conversation between two other trainers.

"Hey, did you see all of those vans and trucks near the Ice Path?"

"Yeah, what's with that?"

"I don't know. But there was this huge "G" logo on the side."

"Do you think it's Team Galactic?"

"I don't know."

Jahan quickly put his Poké Balls into the pocket and ran out the door of the Pokémon Center. Luxray quickly followed him.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Quilava, Vespiquen and Masquerain continued down the left path. None of the three really knows if it this is the correct path out of the Ice Path. Regardless, Vespiquen managed to convince them to go her way.

"_Hey, are you __**really**__ sure this is where we should go?_" Masquerain asked.

"_I'm positive!" _Vespiquen shouted. "_This just has to be the right way!_"

Once they rounded a corner, they could see a bit of light coming from down the cavern hallways. "_Hey, the light at the end of the tunnel!_" exclaimed Masquerain.

"_We made it!_" Quilava shouted, happily.

"_Really? Oh my, I was actually right,_" Vespiquen said.

"_Come on! Let's get out of this stupid cave!_" Quilava shouted.

The three of them hastily headed toward the light at the end. "_I can't believe it,_" Quilava said. "_Vespiquen, you were actually right!_"

"_I told you so!_" boasted Vespiquen.

The three then went around the corner. Unfortunately, for them, they had not reached the exit to the cave. Instead, they ran right into a room filled with Team Galactic grunts.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: So there's chapter 24 for you! I hope you enjoyed it! Again, I would like some feedback, especially on the reworked tenses.

Now, I think it's time I explained these long breaks.

Lately, I have not been feeling the mood to write fanfictions. As much as it pains me to say it, I think I am a little burned-out on fanfictions. Try as I might, I always find something that distracts me. I seem like the chapters are not of my best work.

So, if there is a long break between chapters, now you know why. I just think it's time for me to focus my attention to some of my other hobbies (playing video games, making YouTube commentaries, watching anime, etc.). This does not mean I am giving up on the fanfiction. I am merely taking a break. I hope you all can understand and I promise that I will come back full force!

**NEXT TIME: **It looked as if all hope was lost for May and Drew, but thankfully a pair of wild Pokémon rescue them and lead them to the exit. However, they soon find Team Galactic camped outside of the Ice Path. They late overhear that Team Galactic had captured Vespiquen, Quilava, and Masquerain. Now they must travel back into the Ice Path and help them escape.

Speaking of the three, how will Quilava feel after Vespiquen lead her into the Galactic trap? Surely, it wasn't her fault, but with Quilava, that won't be easy to tell her.

And after Jahan hears about Team Galactic, you know there will be chaos!

Read all of this and more in the next installment of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	24. Ice Rock Showdown!

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By MisterAnimeFan

(MisterAnimeFan walks into the room, takes off his coat, and places his hat on the nearest hook. He turns to his rolling chair and sees May and Drew standing there.)

**MAF:** Oh hi, guys! What's going on?

**May:** Do you have any idea how long it's been since the last chapter? I'm bleeding from my head here!

**MAF:** Yeah, yeah. I know. I just want to say thank you guys for being patient with me. I just want to let you know that during the time I was gone, I have been brainstorming ideas for future chapters. Hopefully, I'll be able to produce these chapters much faster now.

**Drew:** Yes, in the meantime, I was stuck down a hole with May, wondering if I'm ever getting out.

**MAF:** Look, you'll get out of the hole...and more. Trust me.

**May:** And how long do we have to wait for the next chapter?

**Drew:** My guess is the same time _Black & White_ comes out in America.

**MAF:** Look, to make up for however long I was gone, I made this a long chapter. Now you want me to post it or not?

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Quilava (Flamethrower, Flame Wheel, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Eevee (Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

Vespiquen (Power Gem, Toxic, Fury Cutter)

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_Quilava, Vespiquen, and Masquerain were running down the pathways of the Ice Path. They were looking for the exit and help for May. Despite the severity of the situation, Quilava and Vespiquen continued to argue and bicker. When they came to another fork in the road, the two argued about which way to go. Quilava stuck to her suggestion of going down the right path, but Vespiquen remained determined to go down the left path. Quilava was skeptical at first, but when Vespiquen finally apologized to her, the two decided to make amends, and all three Pokémon went down the left path. When they saw a bright, shining light at the end, they assumed they had finally found the exit!_

_Unfortunately, it was not the exit. Instead, it was a room filled with Team Galactic Grunts._

_Meanwhile, Drew remained trapped with May. May slept unconsciously as she bled from the head. Drew couldn't help but blame himself for May's head injury, going far as to cry a bit. But he soon realized that crying wouldn't do much for the situation he and May were in. He tried several ways to get out of the pit he and May were in, from trying to use his PokéNav to call for help to using May's Pokémon to try and climb the loose wall. May, eventually, woke up and came to her senses, although she still felt out of it because of the gash in her head. They then heard two voices call out to them._

_At the same time, Jahan waited at the Mahogany Town Pokémon Center, healing up his injured Pokémon after his battle with Valerie. He overheard someone talking about Team Galactic._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Ice Path**

"Hello?" called out a voice from above.

Everyone looked up to see whoever it is at the top of the pit. "Is anyone stuck down there?" the voice asked.

"Yes!" Drew shouted. "We're stuck down here! And one of us is injured pretty badly!"

"What are you doing down that?" the voice above asked.

"It's a long story! Just please, help us out here!" pleaded Drew.

"Oh alright! I'll see what I can do!"

Drew, May, and the rest of the Pokémon looked up, anxiously waiting for something to happen. "Alright, cover yourselves!" shouted the voice. "Piloswine, use Rock Smash!"

"_Rock what?_" asked Munchlax.

Suddenly, the pit shook as the Pokémon up above rammed into the opening, making it wider. The Rock Smash caused small rocks and pebbles to fall down the hole. The Pokémon covered themselves from the falling rocks. Drew quickly wrapped himself in front of May, protecting her from the falling debris. "Hey!" shouted Drew, angrily.

"Sorry about that!" shouted the voice. "I had to make the opening much bigger. Hopefully, no one was hurt. Now I need you all to stand back!"

The Pokémon and Drew did as they were told. Drew carefully helped May move away from the rocks. "What-what's happening?' she asked, confused.

"Okay now, Piloswine, use Rock Climb!" commanded the voice.

The Pokémon watched as a Piloswine quickly slid down the loose gravel wall to where the Pokémon were. The Piloswine's brown fur covered his eyes. He had a hump on his back and big floppy ears. Only his pink nose and giant tusks were visible to everyone else. He turned to the Pokémon. "_Hello,_" he said, in a slow, deep voice. "_Wow...there's a lot of you. Alright, small Pokémon first. Jump up on my head!_"

Munchlax and Eevee both jumped onto Piloswine's head. "_Hey, how are you going to get back up?" _asked Blaziken.

"_Watch!_" boasted Piloswine.

Piloswine took a step back. He focused all of his energy to extending his fingernails. He then charged at the rock wall, climbing all the way up to the top. Munchlax and Eevee jumped off and then Piloswine went back down to the hole. "_Who's next_?" asked Piloswine.

"_Show-off_," muttered Blaziken.

"_Me, I'm next!_" Wartortle shouted, pushing the other Pokémon. He jumped onto Piloswine's head and the two climbed back up to the top of the hole.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Eventually, Piloswine rescued all of the Pokémon. The only ones who still had to be rescued was May and Drew. But there was a problem. "Hey, how are we going to get May up there?" asked Drew. "She's still hurt. I don't think..."

"No wait a minute," May said, suddenly.

Drew turned towards May. She slowly got up on her feet. She stumbled as she walked towards Piloswine. Before she fell over, Drew quickly caught her and helped her walk. "Careful," he warned. "May, are you sure you can walk?"

"Yeah, I can...I can walk," stammered May.

"Don't worry, as soon as we get out of this cave, we'll get you to a doctor," promised Drew.

Both May and Drew sat on Piloswine's head. He ran up the side of the hole up to where everyone waited. "_Finally, we're out of that stupid hole!_" sighed Blaziken.

After May and Drew had settled onto their feet, Drew looked up and saw the rest of his rescuers. There was the Piloswine, but there was also a Glalie, who lit up the cave with Flash. Their trainer was an elderly man, white hair and wrinkled face. He wore a long, blue coat with a white scarf and long green pants. He had a cane in his hands as well.

"Thank you so much mister," said Drew.

"Call me Pryce," introduced the elderly man. "And it was no trouble at all."

Pryce turned towards the hole. "I usually put up danger signs, warning travelers of pitfalls. I guess this one must have slipped under my radar," commented Pryce.

May then groaned and grabbed her head in agony. "Oh, my head hurts so much," she complained.

"Is she the one who's injured?" Pryce asked.

"Yeah, she has a cut in the back of her," explained Drew. "We need to get her some help quickly!"

"Alright, let me take a quick look at her."

Pryce then walked over towards May. He stood behind May and carefully lifted her bandana up. May's body shuttered as she winced at the pain. "Sorry," apologized Pryce. Pryce then turned towards his Glalie. "Glalie, I need some more light here!" he commanded.

Glalie hovered closer to May. "Ah, that's better," Pryce said. He turned back towards May and slowly untied her bandana. "Be careful," warned Drew. "That bandana is keeping the blood in."

"Son...just relax and put your trust in me," assured Pryce. He then turned towards May. "Alright, just tell me if I get too close to the cut," said Pryce.

He untied the bandana and slowly stroked through May's hair. The blood had dried and strands of hair were now clumped together. May breathed through her teeth, fighting back the pain as Pryce got closer to the cut. "Well, it looks as if the cut has been clotted," diagnosed Pryce. "Even so, we got to get her to a doctor. Tell me, how bad of a headache you have right now?"

"It's like...on and off, and it hurts really bad," answered May.

Pryce then offered May an ice pack. "This should help reduce the painful headaches," offered Pryce. "Now we better hurry and get out of here!"

Blaziken then kneeled down besides his trainer. "_Here May, get on my back!_" offered Blaziken.

"No, really. I think I can walk...AH!"

May was interrupted when Blaziken suddenly scooped May up on his back. "_Come on, let's go!_" Blaziken shouted. Blaziken immediately took off down the dark pathways. "Hold on a minute!" Drew shouted.

"You don't even know where you're going!" Pryce shouted. "Slow down, will ya?"

Everyone ran after Blaziken. Glalie used Flash to provide a light. As they were running down the caves, Pryce noticed something peculiar about May. "There's something familiar about that girl," he pondered, out loud. "Say, uhh..."

"Drew," Drew replied, quickly.

"Drew, what is that girl's name?" Pryce asked. "I could have sworn I have seen her face somewhere."

"Her name is May," answered Drew.

"May...wait, is she that girl whose challenging both gym leaders and Pokémon Contests?"

"Yep, she just beat Clair a few days ago."

"Hmmm...and Clair is not an easy gym leader to beat, either. Well, it'll be an interesting between me and her."

"What do you mean?"

"What? You don't know me? I'm Pryce, the gym leader of Mahogany Town."

"Oh!"

"Yeah, and when I heard that this girl beat Clair, I was hoping that I might battle her one day. It looks as if that day came sooner than expected."

Everyone then came to a fork in the road. Blaziken jogged in place as he hesitated on where to go. "_Which way is the way out?_" he hastily asked.

"Hold you horses! Give me one minute," Pryce said.

Pryce stood in front of the fork in the road. He then looked down at the ground. "This way!" he shouted, pointing at the right-hand road.

"How can you be so sure?" Drew asked.

Pryce then pointed to a row of medium-sized rocks placed against the wall in a line. "See these rocks?" he asked. "There are a lot of forks in this cave, so I placed these trails of rocks alongside the walls that point to the right way out."

"Oh man, I wish I knew that earlier!" groaned Drew.

"Well, now you know. Now, let's get going!"

Everyone then ran down the right-hand road. This time, Glalie hovered up front to light up the way. Drew then remembered something. "Hey Pryce," said Drew. "Did you see some other Pokémon here while you were exploring the Ice Path?"

"I see a lot of Pokémon here. You need to be specific," answered Pryce.

"Have you seen a Quilava, a Vespiquen, or a Masquerain?" asked Drew.

"No, can't say I have seen any of those Pokémon today."

Drew grew worried. "_Oh no,_" thought Drew. "_Please tell me those three aren't in any trouble._"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"_Someone help!_" shouted Vespiquen, as she shook the bars of her cage. "_I have been captured! I am in need of rescue!_"

"_Forget it, Vespiquen_," advised Masquerain. "_No one is going to help us_."

After running around the dark caverns of the Ice Path, the three of them had found a light at the end of the tunnel. They hoped it was the exit, but unfortunately, they had run into Team Galactic's construction site. Immediately, Team Galactic tried capturing them. The three of them were able to hold them off, but Team Galactic eventually trapped them in a net.

Team Galactic dragged the three Pokémon over to a secure area and locked them in cages, along with the other captured Pokémon. A guard sat at his desk nearby, carefully watching the Pokémon and filling out some reports. The three Pokémon were locked in a single cage. "_Help!_" Vespiquen continued shouting.

"Shut up, will you!" shouted the Galactic guard. "Don't make me shock you!"

Vespiquen decided to be quiet after that threat. She let out a sigh as she turned towards Quilava. Quilava had her back turned towards Vespiquen, refusing to talk. "_Quilava, surely you can use your fire attacks to break us out of here!_" pleaded Vespiquen.

Quilava only turned her head and glanced at Vespiquen, before going back to facing the rock walls. "_Look_ _Quilava, I didn't know these guys were here_," explained Vespiquen. "_You have to believe me_."

"_I wanted to go the other way..._" Quilava muttered, at least. "_If we had gone the way I wanted to go, we would be out of this cave and May would have been rescued!_"

"_Well, what made you so sure that your way was the right way to go?_" Vespiquen asked. "_You could have taken us to some slippery ice slide that would haves disoriented us!"_

"_Well, either way, we're stuck here! May and Drew will be stuck in the hole for all eternity, and it's all your fault!_"

"_My fault? HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT THESE GUYS WERE HERE?_"

"_You had such a strong feeling that this was the place to go! Yeah...right into a trap!"_

"_Will you two just stop arguing?_" shouted Masquerain.

"Hey, keep it down!" scolded the guard.

The three Pokémon stared back at each other. "_Look you two, don't you see that all of this arguing and fighting isn't solving anything?_" Masquerain asked. "_Yes, Vespiquen chose the wrong way. But let's face it, Quilava, you don't have any evidence to prove that the other way would have been better. Right now, let's forget about what happened and instead focus on how to get out of here!_"

"_There is no getting out of here!_" argued Quilava.

"_Don't give up so easily, now!_" assured Vespiquen.

"_When you're involved, I can't help but lose hope,_" replied Quilava.

"_Look, I know I have lost your trust with my last foolish mistake, but I need for you to put whatever faith you have left in me._"

"_Forget it!_" refused Quilava.

"_Ooh!_" Vespiquen grunted, angrily. "_Fine! I'll free myself and just leave you behind!_"

"_Go ahead!_" agreed Quilava._ "I would expect a spoiled, self-centered Pokémon like you to do that anyway. All that stuff about change, it was just a load!_"

Masquerain shook her head as the two feuding Pokémon looked away from each other.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"_Wait up, master!_" shouted Luxray. He ran as fast as he could after Jahan, who immediately bolted from the Pokémon Center after he heard that Team Galactic was spotted nearby the Ice Path.

As they got closer to the entrance, Jahan slowly stopped running. He could barely see a few satellite dishes and vans visible above the rock formations. The sight was tucked away in a small alcove. Jahan and Luxray quietly snuck up towards the camp, hugging against the rocks. "_What it is?_" asked Luxray. "_Is it Team Galactic?_"

"Shush!"

Jahan and Luxray ducked down behind the rocks and slowly walked towards the edge. Jahan stealthily peered over the edge. He saw several vans huddled together in a cluster, with several computers connected by a mess of wires all over the place. Only two Galactic Technicians watched over the computer screens, unaware of Jahan's presence. A Kadabra and a Magneton patrolled the area and watched over their trainer's shoulders.

"_What is it?_" Luxray asked. "_What do you see?_"

"Well thankfully, I only see a few guards around," whispered Jahan.

Jahan then reached into his pocket and took out a few more Poké Balls. "_What are you doing?_" Luxray asked.

"Getting some answers about what happened to Tyranitar," replied Jahan.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"_There it is! I see a bright light!_" called out Blaziken.

Everyone smiled as they all saw a light in the distance. "I told you I knew where I was going!" boasted Pryce.

Everyone ran towards the light. Finally, they were out of the Ice Path! "_We did it!_" Eevee shouted.

"_We finally made it out of that god-forsaken cave!_" celebrated Bayleef.

"_Yeah, no thanks to Vespiquen or Quilava...or even Masquerain,_" added Wartortle.

"Wait...did they make it out of the cave?" Drew asked.

"_Chances are, Quilava and Vespiquen are probably fighting in the caves, wondering where to go_," suggested Blaziken.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" asked Drew.

"They may have gone the other way instead of where we went," theorized Pryce.

"_Well, they're lost and it's their fault_," Wartortle said, frantically.

"We're not leaving them in there!" replied May. "We're going back into the Ice Path and we're going to find those three!"

"But May, you got to go see a doctor," reminded Drew.

"I don't care. I'm not leaving Vespiquen or Quilava lost in there."

May then jumped off Blaziken's back. "May, no," denied Drew. "You need to see someone about that cut."

"Drew, I'm fine!" refused May.

"Please May! Just listen to me! I don't want anything else happening to you."

"Drew, I'll be careful."

"Tell you what, I'll find those two for you. Just go and get your head checked out for me, please."

"Drew, I..."

Drew walked up and placed his hands on May's shoulders. He looked right in the eyes. "May...please," he pleaded one more time.

May stared into Drew's eyes and saw that he was serious. May gritted her teeth as she felt a severe headache coming on. "Okay," she said. "I'm just worried about Quilava and Vespiquen."

"I know. But I promise that I'll find those two and get them out of there."

"Okay, Drew. I'm going to trust you."

"I'll be with him, so don't you worry," added Pryce.

"Okay," agreed May.

May then walked over towards Blaziken, pressing the ice pack against her throbbing head. Blaziken hoisted her up on his back. Blaziken then ran off while Drew turned towards May's Pokémon. "Alright, I'm going to need all of you guys to come with me," commanded Drew. "We need to find Vespiquen, Quilava, and Masquerain before something bad happens to them."

Blaziken ran down the dirt path, with May clinging onto his back. May suddenly grabbed her head as she felt a sharp pain. "OW!" she moaned. "My head hurts so much!"

"_Don't worry, we'll find you a doctor soon!_" comforted Blaziken.

Soon, Blaziken caught a glimpse of a black-haired trainer and his Luxray. Blaziken immediately recognized the two. "_Oh no..._" he groaned.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Jahan had Infernape and Croconaw's Poké Balls in his hands, ready to unleash a surprise attack on Team Galactic. Luxray then caught a sight of Blaziken and May running down the dirt path. "_Master, look!_" shouted Luxray.

"Shush!" scolded Jahan. "Be quiet! Do you want us to get caught?"

"_But master, there's a Blaziken there!_"

Jahan turned and indeed saw Blaziken carrying May. "What in the world?" Jahan asked. "I guess she's using Blaziken as some pack mule. Hmph...lazy."

"_So says the guy who rode my back to race her to New Bark Town,_" reminded Luxray.

"I don't remember that," denied Jahan.

"_May doesn't look so good. She has an ice pack on her head._"

Jahan narrowed his eyes and saw that May indeed had an ice pack on her head. "She must have bumped her head," laughed Jahan. Though, he wasn't laughing once May fell onto the ground. Jahan actually grew a bit concerned for May. "_Uh-oh, that doesn't look good,_" mentioned Luxray.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"_What's wrong, May?_" Blaziken asked, worriedly.

"My head...really hurts!" cried May, as she rolled around on the ground, clutching her head.

"_Just hold on! We'll almost there!_" assured Blaziken. Blaziken looked and saw that May's ice pack had melted and was now just cold water.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Jahan continued watching May as she rolled around on the ground. While some people would expect him to laugh his head off (after all, he hates Coordinators), he didn't. He actually was worried about her as well.

Luxray turned to his trainer. "_Master, I know you want to beat the snot out of Team Galactic, but May really looks like she's in trouble,_" worried Luxray. "_We should go and help them!_"

Jahan looked at May and Blaziken, thinking about what he should do. He then looked down as his Poké Balls and then back at the camp. He constantly looked at all three, struggling to make a choice. "_Master!_" Luxray shouted.

"Well, why should I help her anyway?" he asked. "She's a Coordinator! Chances are she got what she deserved. Besides, now is our chance to find out where Tyranitar is and what these idiots have done to him!"

"_Jahan, May really looks like she's hurt. Forget about your hate of them and help her!_"

"But Tyranitar...!"

Luxray stared at Jahan with puppy-dog eyes, begging him to help May. Jahan again looked as May struggled to get back to her feet. He took a deep breath before speaking again. "Well...I guess Team Galactic wouldn't tell me anything anyway."

He put the Poké Balls away and he and Luxray ran towards May.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Blaziken continued worrying as he tried to help May get back on her feet. "Hey, May!" shouted a voice.

Blaziken looked up and saw Jahan and Luxray coming towards him. "_Oh, this isn't going to be fun_," he complained. Jahan and Luxray stopped in front of Blaziken and got down onto her knees. "What happened?" he asked.

"_What do you want?" _Blaziken asked, angrily._ "Are you here to kick her? Taunt her? Now's not a good time_."

"I know. I'm here to help!" replied Jahan.

"_Well...wait, really?_" Blaziken asked, skeptically. "_I thought you hate May...or coordinators in general?"_

"Look, I'm already here. Just shut up and accept my help," suggested Jahan. He turned his attention back to May. "Now what happened to May?" he asked.

"_She fell down a large pit while in the Ice Path and she hit her head...by accident, I might add!_" explained Blaziken.

"So she has a concussion?" clarified Jahan. "Oh that's not good at all. How bad is your headache, May?"

"It hurts...it hurts so much," moaned May.

"Don't worry. We are almost in Mahogany Town. Just shut your eyes and rest," suggested Jahan.

"Why...why are you helping me?" asked May.

Jahan didn't answer her. Instead, he helped May up onto her feet and up on Blaziken's back. "Here Blaziken, I'll show you the way!"

Jahan and Luxray then led Blaziken to Mahogany Town. "_Hey, thanks for stopping by_," praised Blaziken. "_I guess you're not so bad after all_."

"Don't get used to it!" snapped Jahan. "It's only because a coordinator like her can't do anything right, so people like me have to go in and help her."

"_Oh...I see,_" scorned Blaziken. "_You know, if it was you in trouble, May would have helped you._"

"No she wouldn't."

"_Yes she would. I mean, think about it. She saved you after you fell off a helicopter and she tried to help you after Tyranitar was stolen. Chances are, she would have done the same thing you're doing for her._"

Jahan thought about what Blaziken said for a moment, but he just shrugged it off and continued leading the way.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Back inside the Ice Path, Team Galactic had blown through a sheet of ice in the ice pit where they think the Ice Rock is located. While a few Team Galactic members explored the pits, many remained on the surface, awaiting their return. Commander Mars sat on a crate and watched the pit, waiting for something to happen. "They have been down that hole for a long time," she commented.

"Hopefully, the Ice Rock is down there," a grunt said.

"What do you mean 'hopefully?' I thought we are one hundred percent certain on its location?" Commander Mars asked, angrily.

Suddenly, a flare flew up from the hole. Everyone got up excited. "Yes, they found the Ice Rock!" shouted a scientist.

"Get the chains ready!" ordered Commander Mars.

The team then began to scramble as they got everything ready to lift the Ice Rock up to the surface.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Vespiquen, Masquerain, Quilava, and a variety of other captured Pokémon remained trapped in their cages, watched over by another Team Galactic grunt. Masquerain only sighed as the other two remained very far apart from each other in their cage, not talking to each other. Vespiquen continued looking around, trying to find a way to escape their prison.

Suddenly, Vespiquen raised his fist in the air. "_Haha, I've done it! I think I know how to get out of here!_" she exclaimed.

"_What's that?_" Quilava asked.

"_I have a plan to get us out of here!_" Vespiquen said. "_But I need one of you guys to help me._"

"_Forget it Vespiquen!_" refused Quilava. "_Didn't you say you were going to free yourself and leave us behind?_"

"_I realized that I need your help to get out!_"

"_Well too bad! You were the one who led us here!_"

"_Are you still angry about that?_"

"_No, I'm happy you dragged us into a trap_, _your royal highness!_"

"_Don't you taunt me!_"

"_Okay you what? I've had enough of this!_" Masquerain finally said. He then got up and hovered closer to the center of the cage. "_I want both of you to come here!_"

Neither Vespiquen nor Quilava did as they were told. "_I SAID GET OVER HERE!_" shouted Masquerain. Vespiquen and Quilava both got up and headed to the center where Masquerain hovered. "_I have been very patient with you two up until now. All you have ever done was constantly fight and argue over everything_!" he said.

"_That's not true!_" argued Vespiquen. "_We decided to go down the right path together as a group."_

"_Yeah, and look where we are now,_" remarked Quilava.

"_Hey, this isn't my fault!_"

"_Well, you were so determined to get us here!_"

"_SHUT UP! BOTH OF YOU!_" Masquerain shouted. "_Look, yes, we're in a tight spot right now. But we need to figure out a way out of here or else May and Drew will never be rescued._"

"_Well I'm not listening to Vespiquen anymore! She can't do anything right!_"

"_Look Quilava, if it wasn't for her, you wouldn't have evolved!_" mentioned Masquerain.

"_That's right! You wouldn't have!_" boasted Vespiquen.

"_But you were picking a fight with me!_"

"_Enough!_" Masquerain said.

"_Well, she always starts the fights!_" Quilava argued.

"_No, you're always the instigator!_" denied Vespiquen.

"_Who cares? The fact of the matter is while you two are busy tearing into each other, our trainers are stuck down a hole cold, scared, and one injured! Yet you two don't seem to care about that, otherwise you would stop fighting and just listen to each other! That's what I'm getting from this! You two don't care about May or Drew! All you care about is yourselves!_"

"_That's not true!_" argued Quilava.

"_Yes it is!_" replied Masquerain.

"_No, it's not! We're going to get out of here! I have a plan!_" Vespiquen said.

"_Oh yeah, what's that?_" asked Quilava.

Immediately afterwards, Vespiquen slashed Quilava across the face with a Fury Cutter. "_What did you do that for?_" Quilava asked. Vespiquen slashed Quilava across the face again. "_What are you going to do about it, weakling?_" taunted Vespiquen.

"_Okay, that's it!_"

Quilava's back erupted in fire as she unleashed a Flamethrower attack towards Vespiquen, almost burning Masquerain. "_Cut it out you guys!_" scolded Masquerain.

Finally, the guard got up from his seat, furious. "God...can't I get some peace and quiet here?" he asked, angrily.

The two stopped fighting as he walked over to their cage, opened the latch, grabbed Vespiquen, and took her out. The guard then carried her over to the table. "Listen here, I'm trying to get some work done!" scolded the guard. "Stop picking fights and let me finish!"

"_That'll teach her!_" boasted Quilava.

Quilava then noticed something. The guard had left their cage open! They could escape! "_Wait...was that Vespiquen's plan?_" asked Quilava.

"...you understand me?" asked the guard.

"_Understand this!_" replied Vespiquen. She then slashed the guard across his face with a Fury Cutter! Vespiquen turned to Quilava. "_Now...Quilava, finish him off!_"

As the guard stumbled around, grabbing the cut on his face, Quilava popped out of the cage and gave the guard a Flamethrower attack straight to his buttocks. The guard screamed as he ran around the room with his backside on fire. "_Alright!_" laughed Masquerain.

"_Come on, let's get out of here!_" Vespiquen said, as she helped Masquerain and Quilava get out of the cage.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Several minutes later, the three of them were leading a pack of Sneasel, Swinub, and Delibird out of the prison and towards where the rest of Team Galactic stood. Quilava stood out front, providing light. Vespiquen joined alongside her, leading the army, as she calls it. "_Go, my Ice Pokémon comrades!_" commanded Vespiquen. "_Let us show Team Galactic not to mess with us!_"

"_Well, somebody sure is fired up_!" remarked Quilava.

"_Sorry, but it's been such a long time since I got to take charge over a group of Pokémon,_" explained Vespiquen.

"_But Vespiquen, you have to do some of the battling too_," added Masquerain. "_You can't just sit back and let us do all the battling!_"

"_Oh of course! I shall give these Galactic Pokémon the worst beating they will ever recall into their life!_" shouted Vespiquen.

"_Okay then,_" Quilava said.

"_So Quilava, I freed you from those cages! So do you trust me again?_" Vespiquen asked.

"_Okay, I'll admit. That was a pretty good plan_," complimented Quilava. "_Wish you have told me that was what you were planning to do._"

"_If I didn't tell you what was going on, your feelings and emotions would be more natural,_" explained Vespiquen. "_But anyway, Quilava...I am sorry about what happened before_."

"_Oh, that's water under the bridge now. Let's take out some Team Galactic thugs, rescue May, and get out of this stupid cave!_"

"_Right!_" the other two shouted.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Commander Mars watched as cranes lifted the Ice Rock up to the surface. The Ice Rock looked like a spiky, ice pinecone. The spotlights that illuminated the room beamed their lights through the various ice crystals around the room, which in turn reflected the lights towards the Ice Rock, making it look purple and glitter brightly. Everyone marveled at the sight. "This is it," Commander Mars murmured. "This rock contains so much energy and power within itself. People always said that there was only one Ice Rock, but I have just proved them wrong. This rock will surely help Team Galactic reach its goal and conquer the world!"

She turned towards everyone else. "Alright, let's get this thing on a flat bed and get out of here!" ordered Commander Mars.

"Yes ma'am!" they all shouted back.

"_Not so fast there!_" called out Vespiquen.

All of the Team Galactic members turned towards the cave opening and saw Vespiquen, Quilava, and Masquerain standing/flying in front of them. "Hey, aren't those the Pokémon we captured earlier?" asked a grunt.

"That idiot must have fallen asleep and let them escape," theorized Commander Mars. "Stop those three!"

Just as everyone was about to release their Pokémon, the three Pokémon were soon joined by the remaining Pokémon. Team Galactic grew worried as the Sneasel, Swinub, and Delibird glared at them angrily. "Oh no, this isn't good," commented a grunt.

"_Hey, they're taking away our Ice Rock!_" shouted a Sneasel.

"_Stop them!_" shouted a Swinub.

Team Galactic awed at the sight of all of the Pokémon glaring at them angrily. One of the grunts turned to Commander Mars. "Ma'am, I'm officially giving you my two-week notice," he said.

"You're not quitting on me!" snapped Commander Mars. "Come on team! We can take them!"

Mars reached into her pockets and released her Golbat, Toxicroak, and Bronzor. "Commander Mars is right! Come on men! Let's show these prisoners whose boss!" shouted a grunt.

Suddenly, more Bronzor, Golbat, and Stunky joined the "Galactic side" of the battlefield. "_That Toxicroak looks tough_," Quilava muttered to Vespiquen.

"_I'll take care of him!_" spoke Vespiquen. "_Now then Quilava, open fire!_"

Quilava then unleashed a huge stream of fire towards the opposing side, singeing a few of them. "Attack!" Commander Mars shouted.

And the battle was on. Both teams charged towards the opposition, like an epic battle you would see in a movie, almost like a war. Pandemonium spread throughout the entire room. Flamethrowers, Ice Beams, and Psybeams soared through the air, as if they were flaming arrows and rocks used in the past.

The winged Pokémon (Masquerain, Delibird, and Golbat) flied high over everyone else. The Golbat fought with Poisons Fangs and Air Cutters, but Delibird and Masquerain retaliated with Present and Silver Wind, respectively.

As the battle went on, more and more Pokémon began to grow tired and some fainted from battling. However, the Galactic Pokémon were falling quicker than the wild Pokémon.

However, the biggest Pokémon on Team Galactic's side was Commander Mars' Toxicroak. In the center of the action, Vespiquen and Toxicroak went up against each other. The two were giving each other a good fight. Toxicroak tried to attack Vespiquen with a Poison Jab, but Vespiquen quickly flies to the side, barely missing him. She then countered with a Fury Cutter to his face. "_You missed me!_" she taunted.

Toxicroak tried again to hit her with a Poison Jab. She sideswipes him and hits him with another Fury Cutter. "_You missed again!_" she continued taunting. Angry and annoyed, Toxicroak opened his mouth and shot out a blob of gunk out of his mouth towards Vespiquen's eyes. Vespiquen flailed her arms around. "_I'm blind! I can't see!_" she shouted. Toxicroak lunged at Vespiquen and attacked her with Close Combat! He repeatedly punched and kicked Vespiquen's large abdomen. With one final punch, Toxicroak send Vespiquen flying. Quilava watched as Vespiquen smashed into the rock walls. "_Vespiquen, no!_" shouted Quilava.

"_Don't worry! I got him_!" shouted Masquerain.

Masquerain flew towards Toxicroak, but Toxicroak suddenly delivered a Poison Jab straight to his head. Masquerain crash-landed to the ground. Quilava watched as both Vespiquen and Masquerain lied on the floor, unconscious. He glared at Toxicroak, who in return, raised one of his fingers, and twitched it, as if to say, "bring it." Quilava let out a yell before charging at Toxicroak. Toxicroak quickly rolled out of the way and tried to deliver a Poison Jab to Quilava. He quickly backed away when Quilava tried to unleash a Flamethrower attack.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Drew, Pryce, and their Pokémon ran down the dark caverns of the Ice Path once again, looking for Vespiquen, Quilava, and Masquerain. This time, at the final fork in the road, then went down the right path instead of left. "_Man, I hate this darkness,_" complained Wartortle. "_Can't we juts go back out in the sunlight?_"

"Not until we find Quilava, Vespiquen, and Masquerain!" snapped Drew. "Hey Pryce, do you know where this path leads to?"

"Awwww...this path only takes you to a big empty room," answered Pryce. "There's nothing but ice crystals organized in a circle. If you shine a light through the crystals, it lights up the place. It looks pretty neat. I always wondered if there was significance to those ice crystals being organized like that, but I haven't found one yet."

Soon, the group arrived in the large room. They were amazed at the sight. "Oh my lord!" exclaimed Pryce. Everyone looked on as a war of sorts was taking place between Team Galactic and the wild Pokémon. "What in the world is going on here?" asked Pryce.

"_I've never seen so many Pokémon in one spot,_" Bayleef said.

Drew then noticed that each trainer in the room carried a "G" insignia on their uniforms. "It's Team Galactic!" Drew shouted. "They must have set off the earthquake earlier!"

"Really?" Pryce asked. "Who are these people?"

"They're Team Galactic! They're criminals who go around and steal Pokémon!" explained Drew.

"Really? Pokémon thieves? Well then, I shouldn't go easy on these people, then."

Drew then grew angry. "_These guys were the ones that made May fall down the hole!_" he thought.

Eevee then caught a glimpse of Quilava and Toxicroak fighting. "_I see Quilava!_" she shouted. She then saw Toxicroak deliver a strong Poison Jab to Quilava. "_It doesn't look like she's doing so good_," Eevee added.

Bayleef then went into the crowd towards Quilava. "Bayleef, wait!" shouted Drew.

Wartortle then saw Vespiquen and Masquerain lying on the ground. "_Oh man, something's wrong with Vespiquen and Masquerain!_" he shouted.

Drew saw the unconscious Pokémon. "Come on guys! Let's help them!" commanded Drew.

"I'll stay here and try to help with this big fight going on!" Pryce turned to his Piloswine and Glalie. "You guys ready for a fight?" he asked. His Pokémon nodded in agreement. "Alright then, let's kick these dirtbags out of here!" rallied Pryce.

In the center of the action, Quilava laid on the floor, beaten to a pulp after one too many Poison Jabs. Quilava struggled to get up on her feet. Commander Mars smiled as she saw the weakened Quilava. "You're finished!" she taunted. "Toxicroak, end this battle with Sucker Punch!"

Toxicroak reared his arm back, ready to deliver one final Poison Jab. Quilava shut her eyes, preparing for the inevitable. But the attack never came. Right when Toxicroak's Sucker Punch was going to hit, two vines appeared, wrapped themselves around his fist, and pulled it back. "What?" Mars asked, surprised.

She turned her head towards the source of the vines. Quilava opened her eyes and saw Bayleef holding Toxicroak back with Vine Whip. "A Bayleef? In the Ice Path?" Mars asked, angrily.

"_Bayleef!_" shouted Quilava.

"_Oh Quilava...always starting fights!_" joked Bayleef.

"_The fights come to me,_" laughed Quilava.

"_Hey, let go of me!_" demanded Toxicroak.

"_Not a chance pal!_" replied Bayleef.

Bayleef reeled in her Vine Whip, making Toxicroak fall onto his back. Bayleef then jumped up and Body Slammed him into the ground.

Mars quickly turned towards the cave opening and saw Pryce and Drew's Pokémon joining in the battle. "We have more intruders!" she shouted. "Someone stop them!"

Toxicroak clutched his stomach as Bayleef went up to Quilava. "_Are you okay?_" she asked.

"_I'm bruised up a bit, but I think I'll make it,_" replied Quilava.

"_What happened here?_" Bayleef asked.

"_Long story short, Team Galactic is trying to steal the Ice Rock from here_," summarized Quilava.

"_Did you guys get lost?_"

"_Never mind that!_ _Just help us take care of Team Galactic!_"

Bayleef nodded her head and then went on to unleashing Razor Leaf after Razor Leaf on the other Pokémon.

Drew looked over Masquerain while Eevee, Munchlax, and Wartortle looked over Vespiquen. Drew used healing items on both Pokémon to revive them. "Masquerain, are you okay?" asked Drew.

"_That Toxicroak was really powerful,_" groaned Masquerain.

"_We tell you guys to do one simple thing and you all screw it up!_" scolded Wartortle.

"_Shut up!_" snapped Vespiquen. "_At least we're trying to stop Team Galactic! They would have gotten anyway without us!_"

"_What happened to May?_" asked Masquerain.

"She's fine," answered Drew. "Blaziken took her to a doctor."

"_But how did you guys get out of the hole?_" Vespiquen asked, getting up and dusting herself off.

"_That old man and his Piloswine helped us,_" explained Eevee.

"Piloswine, use Blizzard!" commanded Pryce.

Piloswine roared as a mighty blizzard emerged from his body, chilling and blowing away the several Bronzor and Kadabra. "Everyone, these people were the ones who set off that Earthquake earlier!" he shouted, angrily. "They're the ones who made May fall and hurt herself!"

"_They did what?_" asked Wartortle.

"They don't deserve any sympathy!" continued Drew. "Take them out however you want!"

"_Don't worry about a thing, Drew_," boasted Wartortle. "_I can take them out with ease!_"

Wartortle turned towards the battlefield and cracked his fingers. "_Stand back, everybody!_" he warned. "_Things are about to get wet!_"

Wartortle pointed downwards and let out a huge stream of water from its mouth, flooding the entire room. Everyone suddenly stopped fighting as they felt their feet getting soaked. "Hey, where did this water come from?" asked a grunt.

Everyone looked around, confused. Quilava looked up and grew very worried. "_Oh no,_" she said. A huge tidal wave had grown to the point where it could tap the roof. Wartortle was riding on top of the wave. "_He's using Surf! Run for your life!_" shouted Quilava.

All of the Pokémon, grunts, Drew, Pryce, and Commander Mars began to run towards the other side. But it was useless. The huge wave crashed down and swept everyone and the machines away, slamming everybody and everything into the walls. The Ice Rock and the crystals stood where they were. The water soon disappeared. Wartortle remained standing. Everyone else lied on the floor, drenched, cold, and battered. Wartortle looked around and saw the Team Galactic grunts and Pokémon limping. He crossed his arms, feeling proud of himself. "_Victory is ours! All hail me!_" he boasted.

"You idiot! You could have killed me!" Pryce shouted, as he held his back in agony.

"_Yeah Wartortle! My head hurts now!_" complained Munchlax.

"_I feel so cold now,_" moaned Eevee.

"_Some teamwork this is!_" Vespiquen added.

"_Oh...excuse me! All I did was just knocking out every Team Galactic member here!_" shouted Wartortle. "_Unappreciative ingrates..._"

"_I don't think you took out everybody_," mentioned Eevee.

Wartortle looked and saw a few Pokémon and Galactic grunts getting up. "_Oh, they want more, huh?_" asked Wartortle.

"Man, I'm so cold and my clothes are all wet," complained a grunt.

"Suck it up!" Commander Mars shouted. "We need to take these brats out!"

"No way, forget it!" refused the grunt.

He took a Poké Ball out and made his Glameow come back. "You know what? Fight your own battles! I'm going home!" the grunt cried.

"You're no leaving on my watch!" Commander Mars shouted.

To her utter dismay, everyone else began retreating their Pokémon and heading out the cave. "Where are you guys going?" she asked, angrily. "Come back! We're not done yet!"

No one listened. They walked past her (a few of them apologizing for backing out) and continued on their way. Commander Mars then threw her hands up in the air. "Alright fine! We'll abort mission!" she shouted. She turned towards everyone else. She glared at them as she retrieved her Pokémon. "Next time, I won't be so forgiving!" she threatened.

The entire room was then cleared out of any Team Galactic members. All that remained were Drew, Pryce, their Pokémon, and some water-damaged equipment. "_Yes! We are victorious!_" Vespiquen shouted, happily.

"_You're welcome,_" murmured Wartortle.

"_Great job, everybody!_" continued Vespiquen.

"_You didn't do anything,_" complained Eevee.

"_Don't be so sure,_" mentioned Quilava. "_Without her, me and Masquerain would still be locked up in our prison cells. Heck, she was actually doing pretty well in this battle before you guys came._"

Everyone looked at Quilava, skeptical of her praise. "_You sure this is Vespiquen we're talking about_?" asked Munchlax.

"_I know it seems strange coming from me, someone who hated her the most,_" explained Quilava. "_And she was the one who got us lost..._"

"_Accidentally, I might add!_" Vespiquen butted in.

"_Well anyway, I think Vespiquen is slowly learning what it means to be on someone's team,_" continued Quilava. "_Sure, she's still a bit arrogant and bossy, but I think with time, she'll slowly grow into the whole teamwork thing and what it means to defend someone else_."  
"_She saved us and our Ice Rock!_" added a Swinub.

"_She's a hero!_" praised a Sneasel.

Everyone was really surprised at what the other Pokémon were saying. They then turned to Vespiquen, still in disbelief about her actually helping other people. "_Well, if you say so,_" said Munchlax.

"_Trust us, she's getting the hang of it,_" added Masquerain.

"_With that being said, where's May right now?"_ asked Quilava.

"She should be in Mahogany Town right now, seeing a doctor," Drew said. "Come on everybody, let's go and check up on her."

Everyone then began running towards the opening. Vespiquen flew in closer to Quilava. "_Thank you Quilava, for you kind words_," she whispered.

"_It's not easy to get the rest of the team to like you! Don't screw this up!_" warned Quilava.

"_Understood,_" replied Vespiquen.

As they were ready to leave the Ice Rock room, Drew took a quick head count of all the Pokémon. He then stopped in his tracks. "Whoa, whoa, wait a minute!" he shouted. Everyone stopped in place. "Where's Eevee?" he asked.

"_These she is!_" shouted Munchlax. He pointed back towards the Ice Rock.

Eevee stood in front of the Ice Rock, staring into the clear, purple, shining rock. "Eevee, what are you doing?" asked Drew. "Let's go!"

Eevee didn't reply. She continued staring into the Ice Rock. "Come on Eevee! What are you waiting for?" asked Drew, this time more seriously.

There were words echoing in Eevee's head, but not the ones coming from the green-headed Coordinator.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

_"Wow, they look so cool," May said. "But…how does one evolve them into those two forms?"_

_"Well, there are special rocks that can make them evolve into such but I haven't been able to find them," Jahan said._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

_"Eevee, I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Cyndaquil, evolution isn't something you can just force. It takes time for someone like you to evolve, especially you Eevee. You have…different means of evolving."_

_"__What do you mean?__" Eevee asked._

_"Well…you see Eevee, you don't evolve by just leveling up. I have to use an elemental stone on you…or we have to find a special rock which will evolve you when you touch," May said._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"_Jahan and May told me that there are special rocks that can make me evolve,_" thought Eevee. "_Is this one of them?_"

"Eevee, say something!" demanded Drew.

"_I'm tired of being useless!_" shouted Eevee.

Eevee then raised her front paw and placed it against the Ice Rock. Everyone awed as Eevee immediately began to glow brightly. She then began to change her appearance and transform into an entirely new Pokémon.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: After a long time, chapter 25 is finally done! Before people point it out, I now know that Commander Mars actually has a Purugly and not a Toxicroak (Commander Saturn is the one with the Toxicroak), but I wrote the majority of this chapter in a place with no internet connection, so I had to make do with what I remembered from the games. By the time I looked it up on Bulbapedia, it was too late to go and change it.

I hope that mistake didn't bother anyone.

And I hope people really don't mind these long breaks. I know it's frustrating to wait for so long for another chapter, but hey, it's better that I take a lot of time to give you a good chapter, then rush it and make one that's basically unreadable.

**NEXT TIME: **Everybody finally leaves the Ice Path and visits May at the Mahogany Medical Clinic. Drew grows extremely worried as May rests in her bed. Tensions grow to frightening proportions once he learns that Jahan actually helped May get to the doctor. It's made even worse when Jahan decides to put Drew on a guilt trip.

To make things even worse, Valerie also stops by to check up on May. However, rather than taunt and ridicule her, she actually declares that she and May are friends...on-camera. Drew doesn't buy it at all, since May told her about Valerie's harsh treatment towards her. What exactly is up with Valerie?

All of this and more in the next dramatic installment of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	25. Mahogany Town at Last!

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By MisterAnimeFan

REVIEW REPLIES:

**DawnAngel14**: Thank you for the kind words! And how did you come up with the name "Powershipping" for Jahan/Valerie? I guess it's because they're both power-hungry. Lol.

**anime-cheeky:** Don't worry! Glaceon will get all the attention she deserves.

**Arysd:** I'm happy that people don't mind the long waits. Thank you for your patience and understanding!

**Akane Kuran:** Yeah, I probably should lay off the gay jokes with Harley.

**M the Gate:** No, I don't think they do. It'll all be explained in this chapter.

**s0 M-2:** I try to keep the movesets closer to the games (as in, each Pokémon only knows four moves). However, I may bend the rules sometimes and give them moves they can't learn in the games.

**-SmilingArtist-:** May's battle with Pryce will be epic! Don't you worry about that!

As to everyone else, thank you for your continued support and patience! I know it's tough to wait two months for a chapter, but I'll make sure to make it worth your time!

Just a quick note, even though in the last chapter, I said medical clinic, I decided to switch so that May is being treated at the Pokémon Center. Just thought it would be easier that way.

This chapter was difficult to write. It went through several rewrites and different brainstorming sessions. I hope you guys enjoy the final product!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Quilava (Flamethrower, Flame Wheel, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

_**Glaceon **__**(Ice Shard, Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)**_

Vespiquen (Power Gem, Toxic, Fury Cutter)

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME…**

_Drew and May still remained trapped at the bottom of the pit. But thankfully, someone hears their cries for help and rescues them. The rescuer turned out to be Pryce, the gym leader of the Mahogany Town Gym. He, his Piloswine, and his Glalie escorted the two out of the Ice Path. However, once outside, Drew realized that May's Vespiquen, Quilava, and his Masquerain were still inside the Ice Path. Drew Pryce, and May's Pokémon ran back inside while Blaziken helped the injured May to a Pokémon Center._

_Speaking of Vespiquen, Quilava, and Masquerain, the three had been captured by Team Galactic and were locked away in cages. Quilava and Vespiquen had a very heated argument as to whose fault it was for getting everybody in this predicament. Eventually, Vespiquen came up with a plan to escape. She freed herself, Quilava, Masquerain, and the other captured Pokémon._

_Meanwhile, Jahan and Luxray were ready to ambush Team Galactic and hopefully get some answers about his Tyranitar. Right when they were about to launch their attack, Luxray say May collapse in the middle of the dirt road. Despite what most people would expect him to do, Jahan dropped his plans to attack Team Galactic to instead help out May. He ran over and helped her back up on her feet. He and Blaziken then headed off to Mahogany Town._

_At the Ice Path, Team Galactic had found the Ice Rock and were planning to leave the Ice Path with it. The other Pokémon were determined not to let that happen. A big brawl broke out between Team Galactic and the wild Pokémon. When Drew and Pryce arrived, they awed at the scene. Wartortle ended the battle quickly with a Surf attack. Team Galactic quickly retreated and left the Ice Rock behind. Everyone celebrated their victory, but not Eevee. She felt sad that she didn't contribute much to the battle. Realizing that the Ice Rock could make her evolve, Eevee jumped up and touched the Ice Rock. She then began to glow brightly._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Mahogany Town**

In Mahogany Town, Valerie and her Flareon, Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Umbreon sat outside a local café. Valerie's servant, Harold, stood right besides her, acting like her personal waiter. Harold placed a tray of food on the table in front of her. "Miss Valerie, I present you," he began. He then removed the lid from the tray, which revealed the specially made broth inside. "...your lunch," finished Harold.

"Thank you Harold," said Valerie.

"I thought that today we would keep things simple," explained Harold. "So, I borrowed your mother's recipe for her onion soup."

Valerie grabbed a spoon and took a small sip of the broth. She then nodded her head and smiled. "Not bad," she complimented. "Of course, mother makes it better!"

"Of course she does," agreed Harold.

Harold then grabbed another silver plate and placed it in front of her Pokémon. "And for the Pokémon, specially made food bowls. For Vaporeon, plenty of extra vegetables. Jolteon has extra fruits. And nothing but pure meat for Flareon and Umbreon."

The Pokémon immediately dived into their bowls and ate away. Harold remained by their side as Valerie and her Pokémon ate their lunch.

Once they had finished their lunch, Harold collected the empty plates. "I assumed you have enjoyed your lunch, my lady?" Harold asked.

"Quite," replied Valerie.

Valerie whipped her lips with her personal handkerchief. She then began pondering. "Something else, my lady?" Harold asked.

"I'm in the mood for some vanilla ice cream," said Valerie.

"Oh! Well that's quite unfortunate. Because you see, I did not prepare any ice cream. I wasn't aware that you might want some."

"Oh very well! I suppose I'll have to dine on whatever this café serves."

"I will check and see if they have want you request."

Harold then stepped into the café doors. "Make sure it's French Vanilla!" Valerie shouted. She then turned towards her Pokémon. All four sat prominently in their seats, their posture reminiscent of the statues of Anubis. Valerie smiled, but as she looked out to the streets of Mahogany Town and saw the people walking by, her smile quickly went away. Her Pokémon noticed this. "_Is something wrong, master?_" asked Umbreon.

"Look at all of these people," she moaned. "Not even a month ago, these people would have been swarming all around me, praising me for being one of the greatest Coordinators in the Johto region. They would want me to sign autographs and shake their hand. Boys would line up to try to win my heart! But ever since _**she**_ arrived, all the talk has been about her and how she's challenging both gym leaders and the contests!"

"_You mean May?_" asked Flareon.

"_You think that after we brutally defeated her, people would realize that she's no big deal_," added Vaporeon.

"You would think that," replied Valerie. "But no! There are people out there who still think that she actually has potential! They are just as deluded as she is."

Suddenly, something caught Jolteon's eye. "_Speak of the devil,_" she said.

"What?" asked Valerie.

Everyone turned around and saw Blaziken, Luxray and Jahan stop in front of a Pokémon Center. Blaziken dropped May off his back. Both of them helped May walk inside. Valerie then grew angry. "Oh great...it's _**her**__..._and_**him!**_" she sneered. "Just what is she up to now?"

Valerie then got up from her seat. "Come on!" she demanded. "We're going to go investigate!"

Valerie and her Pokémon then stormed off towards the Pokémon Center. As soon as Valerie was out of sight, Harold came back with a glass cup of vanilla ice cream. "My lady, I have returned with some vanilla ice cream...two scoops, just like you..."

His voice trailed off when he saw that Valerie had disappeared, along with her Pokémon. "Valerie?" he asked. He looked all around his surroundings. He couldn't find Valerie anywhere. "Where did that girl go?" he asked, upset. "Every time she sends me to get something, she's always gone when I come back."

Harold looked down at the ice cream cup in his hands. He shrugged his shoulders and then ate a spoonful of the ice cream...and then another one...and then another one...

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Everyone watched in amazement as Eevee glowed brightly and transform. Her feet became more slender and her tail longer. Soon, the light died down and Eevee was now an entirely new Pokémon. "_Whoa..._" awed Munchlax.

"Eevee...she's..." began Drew.

"She has evolved," finished Pryce.

Eevee looked down at herself and saw that her fur had changed from brown to bright blue and felt sharp like ice needles. She was now a Glaceon. She then looked up at Quilava, smiling. "_Quilava...I've finally evolved!_" she cheered, loudly.

Quilava only laughed at Glaceon's excitement. "_How does it feel?_" she asked.

"_It feels wonderful!_" Glaceon replied, happily. "_Maybe now I can finally be useful to May!_"

"Eevee..." groaned Drew.

"_It's true! When I was an Eevee, I was weak. May would never use me. But now that I'm evolved and more powerful, I can be one of the best Pokémon on her team!_"

"_Next to me, of course,_" boasted Wartortle.

"_Well, besides that, I think May would be happy to know that you've evolved,_" said Quilava.

"Speaking of May, we better go," interrupted Drew. "May needs us to be with her at the doctor's."

"_Then, there's no time to lose!_" Vespiquen said, frantically. "_Let us make haste...to Mahogany Town!_"

Drew and Pryce retreated all the Pokémon back into their Poké Balls. They then immediately ran out of the cave.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

At the Mahogany Pokémon Center, Blaziken, Luxray and Jahan sat down in the lobby while the doctors took May to the backrooms to be treated. They were the only ones in the lobby. Blaziken tapped his claws together nervously, waiting to hear about May. "Blaziken relax," assured Jahan. "May's not going to die or anything. She just had a concussion."

"_Still, I can't help but worry about her,_" replied Blaziken.

"_She'll be fine_," repeated Luxray.

Suddenly, Nurse Joy walked out from back. Jahan got up from his seat and walked up to Nurse Joy. "So, how is she?" he asked.

"Well, the cut in her head is pretty bad, so we had to stitch it up. She's also suffering from a concussion," explained Nurse Joy.

"Will she survive?" Jahan asked.

"Of course she'll survive," replied Nurse Joy. "I gave her some medicine and let her sleep in one of our rooms."

"_Oh good,_" sighed Blaziken.

"Rest is the best thing for her right now, so I wouldn't come in and check on her just yet. Let her sleep for a little bit."

"Okay," agreed Jahan.

"For falling down and hitting her head on some sharp rocks, she's very lucky that she's not in any worse condition. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and check on the Pokémon"

Nurse Joy then went back to the emergency room. Jahan then turned to Blaziken. "Hey Blaziken," Jahan said. "You should probably go up and sit by May's bedside, just to watch over her."

"_You don't need to tell me that twice,_" replied Blaziken. "_Are you going to stay here, Jahan?"_

Jahan turned his head to the side and looked down at the ground. "Meh...maybe," replied Jahan.

"_What do you mean? Are you staying or not?_" Blaziken asked.

Before Jahan could answer, Valerie suddenly burst through the glass doors of the Pokémon Center. She looked around the lobby and saw Jahan standing in front of her. "You!" she shouted, pointing at Jahan.

"Oh no, it's you," replied Jahan. "What do you want?"

"You're that guy I met at the lake!"

"Yeah, you kicked me out. What are you going to now? Kick me out of the Pokémon Center? You can't do that. This place is for everyone."

"I don't care about that!" snapped Valerie. "Where's May?"

"Why's that your business?" Jahan asked.

"I saw her walk into here! What's she up to?"

"_We're in a Pokémon Center,_" said Blaziken. "_What do you think she's doing here?_"

"Is she trying to pull another publicity stunt?" Valerie asked, frantically.

"What? Publicity stunt? What are you talking about?" asked Jahan.

"You wouldn't understand!" argued Valerie. "It's a Coordinator thing!"

"What? Is her Pokémon prettier than yours?" taunted Jahan.

"_I like to say we are,_" boasted Blaziken.

"It's not about me. It's this whole thing about battling gym leaders and coordinators," clarified Valerie. "She's only doing this just so she can steal away fans from all the...other well-deserving...people."

Jahan grabbed his chin and eyed Valerie suspiciously. "What are you looking at?" Valerie asked.

"You...care about other people?" Jahan asked. "I don't buy that at all."

"_Neither do I,_" agreed Blaziken.

"What? Are you doubting me?" Valerie asked, angrily.

"Tell me, what's one selfless thing you have done for someone else?" asked Jahan.

"I...I buy Christmas gifts for my mother and father," replied Valerie.

"Okay, but that's family," rebutted Jahan. "Have you ever given something or helped out someone else **other** than your family? You know...elderly people? Little kids? Other coordinators? Your servant?"

Valerie hesitated to answer. "Well...have you helped out someone else?" asked Valerie.

"Lots of times," replied Jahan. "In fact, I was the one who helped May over here. But this isn't about me. The fact that you haven't answered my question tells me that you're nothing but a spoiled little brat who thinks the world revolves around her and whose fame and fortune comes from her daddy."

"Excuse me, but I'm one of the greatest Coordinators in the Johto region!" she shouted, angrily. "Not all of my success was from my father! I have my own adoring fans who love me for my talents!"

"Okay, okay!" replied Jahan. "Keep your voice down! This is a place of healing."

"Enough with the 20 questions! Just tell me what May is up to!" demanded Valerie.

"She got hurt! Okay?" Jahan finally answered.

"_She slipped, fell, and bashed her head against some sharp rocks,_" added Blaziken.

"It's no publicity stunt. She really is hurt," Jahan replied.

"_That's all! Now get out of here before you wake her up!_" demanded Blaziken.

Valerie only glared at the two. She then turned around towards the door. "Come on you guys, let's go," she said to her Pokémon. She and her Pokémon began to head out the door.

Suddenly, Valerie then stopped in her tracks right at the door. "Wait..." she pondered. "Something doesn't make sense."

"What? The fact that May's hurt?" asked Jahan.

"No, the fact that you helped her," clarified Valerie.

She turned around towards Jahan and raised an eyebrow. "Earlier, you made it very clear that you're not very fond of Coordinators," began Valerie. "And yet, you mentioned that you helped May get here."

Jahan's eyes grew wide as Valerie brought this point up. "O-okay...what's your point?" asked Jahan.

"What do you mean 'what's my point'?" asked Valerie. "May's a coordinator, something you hate, seeing as how you were not very nice to me."

"Well, you're a spoiled brat!" Jahan said, defending himself. "Look, you're right. I don't really like Coordinators!"

"Then why did you help May?" asked Valerie.  
"_I want to know that myself_," said Blaziken.

"Wait...are you...are you and May...lovers?" accused Valerie.

"What?" Jahan replied. "You're out of your mind! I would never fall in love with a Coordinator...let alone be friends with them! I only helped May because Luxray insisted that I did," answered Jahan. "It wasn't really my choice."

"_But...you looked like you were worried for her,_" butted Luxray. "_I saw it in your eyes_."

"So you do love her!" repeated Valerie.

"No, I don't!" argued Jahan. "It's because...May would have done the same thing if it were me in her position. I helped her because it's the right thing to do...an idea you're not familiar with."

Valerie continued to eye Jahan suspiciously. "What?" he asked.

"Oh nothing," Valerie said. She turned back towards the door. "I'll be on my way now."

Valerie and her Pokémon then left the Pokémon Center. Jahan, Luxray, and Blaziken remained in the lobby. "_So...just to clarify,_" said Blaziken. "_You're not in love with May?_"

"No, I'm not," Jahan said through his teeth.

"_Good,_" Blaziken said, scornfully. "_Are you going to stay?_"

"Yeah, I might as well," replied Jahan. "The gym leader isn't even at his gym today. So I figured the only thing I can do is sit here, watch some T.V., and get a bite to eat."

"_Okay then,_" replied Blaziken. "_I'll be upstairs with May._"

"Sure," replied Jahan.

Jahan and Luxray walked towards the cafeteria while Blaziken walked up to May's room.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After talking to Jahan at the Pokémon Center, Valerie's Pokémon retreated into their Poké Balls and walked through the streets of Mahogany Town. She still pondered about Jahan and May. "I don't believe him for one second," she muttered quietly to herself. "He helps out a Coordinator...that he supposedly hates. No, that doesn't make sense. It has to be a cover. I think he and May are lovers. But if that were true, then...that would mean that they are conspiring against me!"

She then stopped in her tracks when she came to a realization. "Of course! It all makes sense now! May's trying to steal my popularity by announcing that she's challenging both gyms and contests! But I temporarily put a stop to her plans by defeating her in the last contest! But ever persistent, she has hired her boyfriend to stop my training so that she doesn't lose again. But I defeated him and I went on with my training as scheduled. But she won't give up! So in a last-ditch attempt, May purposely hurt herself so that she can gain sympathy and win some fans."

She suddenly smacked her fist against her left palm after the revelation. "Haha, I have figured out May's plan!" she said, proudly. "You hear that, May! I'm on to your game!"

She then went back to pondering. "Well, now that I know what May's up to, how do I go about stopping her?" asked Valerie.

"Mistress?" asked a voice.

Valerie looked up and saw a limo pull up beside her. Her servant stepped out of the limo and stood in front of her. "Miss White, I've been looking everywhere for you!" Harold said. "Listen, about your ice cream request..."

While Harold went on explaining how the ice cream melted in his mouth, Valerie suddenly had a plan. She knew what she had to do to expose May's "plan" to the world.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

At the Team Rocket base (conveniently located underneath a store in Mahogany Town), Leader Silver sat nearby his team of scientists, overlooking the rest of the hideout. He stroked the top of Persian's head.

Silver looked and saw that a few Team Rocket members were in the infirmary, recovering from the souped-up Tyranitar attack. These members had a variety of injuries, from bandages on their foreheads to having their legs or arms wrapped in a cast.

Silver sighed as he watched a few them resting in their beds. "They're lucky to be alive," he muttered quietly.

"Oh I cannot agree more," said a voice. "Can you imagine...all of these fine Team Rocket members losing their lives at the hands of Giovanni's inexperienced son?"

Silver swiveled in his chair and saw four of the other Team Rocket executives, Proton, Petrel, Arianna, and Archer. "Oh joy, you guys," Silver said, sarcastically. "May I ask why you four have decided to honor me with your presence?"

"Pardon us for our sudden appearance, but we wouldn't have to come back here if a certain red-haired brat would actually know how to run a team," sneered Petrel.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Silver asked, offended.

"Well, we happened to pass by the infirmary and we couldn't help but notice all those fine Rockets being patched up for injuries," analyzed Proton. "It looks like someone doesn't know how to conduct a Pokémon capture."

"You try taking on something that has had its power enhanced by Team Galactic," rebutted Silver. "You guys wouldn't last a minute out there."

"You might wanna watch your tone there, kid," warned Archer. "You're talking to your elders here."

"Maybe, but you four seem to forget that I'm the leader of Team Rocket," reminded Silver. "I'm higher in authority. Therefore, you four must obey me! And, as I recall, I ordered you four to take a team of Rocket grunts out to the Sinnoh region and investigate Team Galactic's operations out there."

"They're not doing anything note-worthy," Archer said. "They just go around and steal Pokémon from other people. You know, like what Team Rocket used to do before you took leadership."

"Look, we can't steal Pokémon right now because Team Galactic is in the way. Once this team boots them out of the Johto region, we will resume our normal activities," explained Silver.

"Well it seems you're no doing a good job of booting them out," mentioned Petrel.

"Why are you still talking?" Silver asked.

Suddenly, there was an announcement on the intercom. "_**Attention! Attention! Would Leader Silver please report to the Rocket Accounting Offices immediately!**_"

"Accounting?" asked Archer. "What now? Are we having financial issues at well?"

"You really can't do anything right, can you?" asked Petrel.

Silver took a deep breath and tried very hard to contain his anger. He closed his eyes and got up from his seat. "We, I wish I could stay and chat some more," he began. "But, as you just heard, I have been summoned. So, if you'll excuse me."

Silver then walked past the Rocket Executives. His Persian followed him.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

As Silver and Persian made his way down to the Rocket Accounting Offices, Silver couldn't stop thinking about the four Rocket Executives. "_Who do those guys think they are?_" Silver asked. "_They need to recognize that I am their leader and they work for me!_"

Silver turned to his Persian. "What do you think, Persian?" he asked. You think those guys back there are jealous of me?"

Persian nodded his head and continued on his way. "They probably are. I mean, after all, my father picked me for a reason instead of them."

"Oh, don't worry, kid," said a voice. "Jealously has nothing to do with us not liking you."

Silver jumped as he turned around...and saw the four Rocket Executives standing behind him. "Why are we so jumpy now?" Petrel asked. "A good leader is never surprised by anything."

"Don't you guys have anything better to do than pester me?" Silver asked, angrily.

"We just want to make sure that nothing bad happens to our glorious leader while he walks about his humble hideout," explained Proton.

"What bad could happen here?" asked Silver. "No one outside of this hideout knows that this place exists!"

"You may never know," Archer mentioned. "Team Galactic may stop by, seeing as how we have a weakness in our group."

Silver ignored them and continued on his way to the Accounting Offices. "You know, despite your rather questionable decisions lately, I must admit that this place cleans up rather nicely," commented Archer.

"Indeed," agreed Petrel. "Perhaps Silver should just stick to being a cleaner rather than a leader?" The male executives laughed. Silver just tried his best to shrug off their insults and continued on his way.

Soon, they all arrived in front of the Team Rocker Accounting Offices. Before he opened the door, Silver turned to the executives. "You know, it's funny how you guys insult me," replied Silver. "Because as I recall, Giovanni, my father, picked me to be the leader of Team Rocket because he knew that I can actually **defeat** a small ten-year-old kid, unlike you guys, and he knew that I would put some variety in my team of Pokémon, unlike you guys. Not to mention, I look much better than you guys. You guys can taunt me and object my every move, but the fact is, **I **am your boss. And as quick as I can snap my fingers, you four can easily be in the unemployment line like Hutch and Cassidy."

After that, Silver stopped talking and waited to see what the Team Rocket Executives would say. Not surprisingly, they said nothing. Silver smirked as the Executives kept a straight face. "No comments? No jokes, comebacks, or anything?" he asked. "Good, I like that. Now then, I'm going to go inside and discuss whatever needs to be discussed. Why don't you four make yourselves useful and watch my Persian for me? He was my father's Persian so take good care of him now."

Silver then stepped into the Accounting Offices, leaving Persian with the Rocket Executives. "Ingrate," muttered Archer.

The four of them then looked at Persian. "Well, at least he's taken good care of his father's Persian," commented Arianna.

"Indeed," agreed Proton.

Proton reached his hand out to try and pet him, but Persian bared his sharp fangs and growled.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LATER IN THE DAY...**

Meanwhile, at the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy tended to the other sick Pokémon while Jahan sat at a table, eating lunch while his Luxray slept at his feet. He had already rented a room and was waiting for tomorrow to come so that he could challenge the gym leader.

As he ate into his cheeseburger, he continued to think about Valerie. "_What was up with that girl?_" asked Jahan. "_She was so paranoid about May pulling a publicity stunt. Why would she be worried about how much attention May is getting? Does she really think that she needs to be in front of the camera twenty-four hours a day? Man, this coordinating stuff is more cut-throat than I thought_."

He suddenly looked up when he heard the doors slide open. Drew ran inside, looking all around. "Where is she?" he asked. Drew then noticed Jahan sitting at the table, eating. He immediately got angry. "Yo!" greeted Jahan.

"What are you doing here?" Drew asked, angrily.

Jahan only stared at him and pointed at his food. "Uhh...well, I have a plate of food in front of me, so...I must be fishing," Jahan answered, sarcastically.

"Stop playing dumb with me!" scolded Drew.

"You ask a stupid question, you're bound to get a stupid answer," Jahan said. "And what's wrong with me being here? Do you really hate me that much?"

"Look, I don't have time to play around with you. Where's May?"

"She's upstairs, sleeping," answered Jahan. "Did you hear what happened to her?"

"Yeah, I know what happened to her," Drew said. "I was there when she fell."

"Oh!" gasped Jahan. "You were there?"

"Yes he was," replied Pryce. "I found the two of them trapped down a deep hole in the Ice Path. That girl must have taken a pretty hard fall, because her head was busted open and she was feeling headaches and dizziness."

"Oh...oh really," Jahan said, somberly.

Jahan looked at Drew's clothes. They were dirty and a bit ripped from Drew's fall. "Wow...you're lucky that nothing bad happened to you," he commented. "All you got from the fall were dirty clothes and bruised up body parts. When I saw May and her Blaziken coming up on Route 44, she fell over and complained about a severe headache. Then, she just lost consciousness."

Drew gulped after he heard that. "Then, where is May?" stuttered Drew.

"Upstairs sleeping," Jahan answered. "She only has a minor concussion and a few stitches. She'll be okay after she gets some rest."

"Oh thank goodness," sighed Drew.

"Yeah, it could have been worse," Jahan said. "Even Nurse Joy said she's very lucky that nothing else happened to her."

Drew ran his fingers through his hair and brushed it back, again sighing in relief. "Well, that's good to hear," Pryce said.

Pryce then turned to Drew. "Listen young man, I got to get back to my gym," he said. "Send my regards to May."

"Sure," agreed Drew.

"Speaking of which," Jahan said. Jahan then stood up from his seat. "Mister Pryce, I wish to challenge you to a gym battle!"

"Sorry young man, but I'm not doing any gym battles today," Pryce said.

"You're not?" asked Jahan.

"Nope," Pryce said. "I want to preserve my Pokémon's strength for May. Seeing as how she defeated Clair, one of the toughest gym leaders in the Johto region, I better prepare my team for whatever she might throw at me."

"Are you serious?" Jahan asked, annoyed. "You're not going to challenge any trainers until _**she**_ battles you!"

"Don't get snappy with me!" scolded Pryce. "You'll get your chance. Just be patient and wait your turn like all the other trainer would."

With that final word, Pryce then walked out of the Pokémon Center. Jahan seethed with anger after what Pryce told him. He walked back to his table and sat down, continuing with his lunch. "Seriously, calm down," Drew said.

"Shut up," replied Jahan. Drew remained quiet after that. He knew that it was pointless to try and calm Jahan down.

It was silent between the two. Drew looked around the empty Pokémon Center while Jahan finished eating his lunch.

Something then came to Drew's mind. "Wait," he said. "Jahan, earlier you said that you saw May on Route 44."

"Yeah, I was hanging around the area after some people told me that Team Galactic was there," answered Jahan. "Then I saw May fall off Blaziken's back and grabbing her head. As much as I hate her, I can't just leave her there, right?"

"So, you helped her? You actually helped her?" Drew asked, skeptical. Drew then smiled. "Hmph, so I guess you're not such a bad guy after all."

"Don't get used to it," Jahan said. "You coordinators can't do anything right, from raising Pokémon to surviving in the wild. If it wasn't for me, May would be much worse."

Drew's smile immediately disappeared. "Well there goes my respect for you," scorned Drew.

"Well, think about it. If I hadn't come by and helped May, she would have been worse than she is now. Why I was busy helping her out, what were you doing?"

"For your information, I was busy saving May's Pokémon from Team Galactic," mentioned Drew.

"How did she get her Pokémon captured by Team Galactic?" Jahan asked. "First you make May fall and then you get her Pokémon captured."

"Look, you idiot! It wasn't on purpose!" snapped Drew. "When we were trapped at the bottom of the hole, I released her Vespiquen and my Masquerain so that they and Quilava could go and find help. The three got captured by Team Galactic so I had to go back into the Ice Path and save them."

"In a way, that's still your fault," Jahan said. "You released them so that they could be captured."

"I had no clue that Team Galactic was even in the cave! And they're the ones who actually made May fall. They set off the explosion that shook up the Ice Path and made her lose her footing."

"But you were the ones standing near a long bottomless pit."

"What are you trying to prove?" Drew asked, annoyed. "Are you accusing me of hurting May on purpose?"

"Well, you're suddenly getting defensive."

"Because you're trying to accuse me of hurting May on purpose! I would never do that. This entire thing was an accident."

Drew got up from his seat. "Look, I'm not going to sit here and listen to your blasphemous accusations," he said. "I'm going to go upstairs and check up on May."

Drew then turned around and began heading towards the stairs. "What makes you think she would want to see you?" Jahan asked.

Drew stopped in his tracks and slowly turned back towards Jahan. "What's that supposed to mean?" asked Drew. "I wasn't the one who made May fall."

"Maybe, but May is not going to see it that way," Jahan said. "She doesn't know that it was an accident. She'll think you tried to kill her on purpose."

"No, she wouldn't," denied Drew. "She didn't say anything to me after we got out of the pit we were in."

"Well, she was probably only semi-conscious, so she couldn't say anything to you," mentioned Jahan. "But now that she had suffered some memory loss, she'll start wondering what caused her fall, and it will only be a matter of time before she points it all to you."

"May wouldn't do that," replied Drew. "She's far too nice to blame anybody."

"You sure about that?" Jahan asked. "Maybe she just says that so that you think she's nice. But perhaps deep down, she's putting all the blame on you."

"You're an idiot, you know that?"

Drew then began to climb his way up the stairs. "She's in room eight, if you really want to get chewed out that badly," Jahan mentioned, as Drew was halfway up the stairs.

Drew reached the second floor and walked down to room eight. He was ready to knock on the door, but he stopped right before his knuckle hit the wooden door. The words that Jahan had spoke earlier rang in Drew's head.

"_What makes you think she would want to see you? She'll think you tried to kill her on purpose...she'll start wondering what caused her fall, and it will only be a matter of time before she points it all to you...you...you...you..._"

Drew only shook his head. "Why should I listen to him?" he asked himself. "Jahan's only trying to cause problems between me and May. I mean, it was an accident and May will understand that."

Drew then gulped. "I hope," he said.

He took a deep breath and lightly knocked on the door. He stood there, waiting for someone to answer the door. He heard faint footsteps approaching the door. The door opened up. On the other side was Blaziken. Blaziken was surprised to see Drew. "_Well, it's about freaking time you got here_," he said.

"Who is it?" asked a voice.

Drew knew who that voice was, and was a bit surprised to hear it. "_It's Drew,_" Blaziken told her.

"Drew?" May asked.

Blaziken opened the door wider and allowed Drew inside. Drew saw that May was sitting upright in her bed. From his eyes, it seemed as if May was okay. "May?" asked Drew.

"Hey Drew," May said, happily.

Drew walked in and sat down in the chair beside her bed. "So, how are you feeling?" Drew asked.

"Not too bad," May replied. "Just a little annoying headache, but nothing too serious..."

"Did you loss any memories?" asked Drew.

"I don't know," May said. "I don't think I did."

"What's your name?" Drew asked.

"Drew, I'm fine."

"What's your name?" Drew asked again.

"May."

"Who are your parents?"

"Norman and Caroline."

"Brother?"

"Max."

"The Pokémon on your team?"

"Blaziken, Munchlax, Vespiquen, Quilava, Wartortle, and Eevee."

Drew only stared at her after hearing that last name. "Meh, close enough," he said.

"See, I'm fine," May replied.

"Well that's good to hear," sighed Drew. "But shouldn't you be sleeping? I mean, I think sleep would be better for you."

"I did get some sleep," May said. "But then, I had a bad dream and I woke up."

"Bad dream? About what?"

"Ummm...well...let's see..." pondered May.

"If you can't remember it, that's fine," Drew said.

"_Didn't you tell me that you were climbing a mountain or something?_" Blaziken asked.

"Oh yeah! Now I remember!" exclaimed May. "I was climbing up a mountain, a very tall mountain. And it was nighttime...and it was so dark. I could barely see where I was going. I felt as if I was lost. I didn't have any Pokémon with me either."

As Drew listened to the dream, he began to notice something about May's dream. But May continued speaking. "I then saw this beautiful sight," she spoke. "It was a city, lit up with bright nights! It was so magnificent to see! But then...an earthquake happened. A really strong earthquake. It was so strong that the mountain began to break away. I tried desperately to keep my balance, but I had nothing to hold on to. Eventually, the earthquake stopped. I barely managed to not fall. But then I turned around and I saw something green."

"G-Green?" stuttered Drew.

"Yeah, dark green," May said. "And...I saw glowing purple. I don't know what that's about."

Drew then quickly glanced at his purple jacket hanging off May's feet. Drew used it cover May while they were in the Ice Path. "I didn't know what that was about. But this green thing looked very menacing. He stared at me with murderous intentions."

Drew only coughed as he continued to hear about May's dream. "He glared at me some more...before he reached out...and pushed me off the cliff."

Drew felt his body tense up. He began to look down at the ground, breathing heavily. May noticed this right away. "Drew, are you okay?" asked May. "I didn't think my dream was that scary. But I wonder what that all means..."

"It's me, okay!" snapped Drew.

Everything went silent as May and Blaziken looked at Drew, curiously. "What?" May asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Come on May! The feeling of being lost, darkness, cliff, green, purple, and you falling," listed Drew. "I have green hair! I wear a purple jacket! I was the one who led you down the wrong path in a dark Ice Path. And I was the one who caused you to fall! I dragged you down as I fell!"

May didn't know what to say to Drew. She only shook her head. "No," May said. "No, Drew! It wasn't your fault!"

"Yes it was," continued Drew. "If I had just listened to you, we would have been out of the Ice Path in no time and you wouldn't be where you are now. But I had to be so stubborn!"

"No, no, Drew! Don't blame myself," May replied. "You know what? It was my fault! I fell first and I was the one who pulled you down. If anything, I should be apologizing to you!"

Drew looked up at May and gave her a half-hearted smile. "May, I know you're just being to be nice," he said. "But let's face it, I'm such a screw-up. I couldn't do anything right. I had to get help from an old geezer. If it wasn't for Pryce, we would still be stuck down the pit until who knows when."

Drew let out a depressed sigh. He then looked back down at the ground. "May, I'm so sorry about everything that happened today."

May and Blaziken continued to watch Drew self-loathing. May and Blaziken then looked at each other. She nodded her head towards the door. Blaziken got the cue right away. "_I'll be downstairs,_" he muttered, quietly. He opened the door and left the room silently.

Once he was gone, May turned to Drew. "Drew, look at me," she demanded. Drew didn't respond. He continued to stare at his feet. May then slowly got out of her bed and kneeled down to Drew's level. She grabbed his chin and made him look her in the eyes. "Drew, you have nothing to be sorry about," she told him. "Okay? It was an accident."

Drew then averted his gaze. "I don't blame you at all, Drew," she continued. "How could I blame you? You've rooted for me when I was battling Clair. You kept me warm while we were stuck in the Ice Path. And you gave me advice when I needed it. Why would I hate you or blame you for anything? I should be thanking you, if anything."

Drew stared into May's eyes. He was touched by what May was telling him. "Do you really mean all that?" Drew asked.  
"Of course I do," answered May. "Drew, you're a really nice guy...much nicer than you used to be before. I would never think that you would try and kill me."

Drew and May smiled at each other and they then wrapped their arms around each other and hugged. "Thanks May," Drew said.

"No, thank you," May replied.

The two continued hugging each other tightly. They both shut their eyes as they took in the moment. "You know...a few months ago, we would never hug each other," mentioned Drew.

"Times change," May replied.

Just then, the door suddenly swung open. May and Drew quickly broke away from each other and returned to how they were before. It turned out that the person was Jahan. "Hey May, you got to see what's...down..."

His voice trailed off when he saw both May and Drew looking away from each other, trying to act casual. "Oh hey, Jahan!" May greeted, nervously. "What brings you here?"

"Yeah, what do you want?" asked Drew.

Jahan then raised an eyebrow. "What were you two doing just now?" he asked, suspiciously.

"Nothing," replied May.

"Were you guys having a moment?" Jahan asked, slyly.

"No!" they both denied with blushing faces.

"Aww...how cute," taunted Jahan. "You guys are blushing."

May and Drew continued stammering and arguing with Jahan while he continued taunting them.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LATER THAT NIGHT...**

Everyone was downstairs, either eating dinner or watching T.V. Drew handed May her Pokémon back and they were all released into the open. Vespiquen, Wartortle, Quilava, Glaceon, and Munchlax all stood in front of May. "_Where are we?_" asked Munchlax.

"Hey guys!" May said.

They all turned towards May. "_Oh hello May_," Vespiquen said, casually. The Pokémon then remembered and realized something. "_May!_" they all shouted.

Immediately afterwards, all of May's Pokémon jumped up and hugged her. "_May, I can't believe it!_" exclaimed Quilava. "_You're okay!_"

"_And you have food!_" Munchlax said, after spotting the food on May's table.

"Guys, I'm happy to see you too, but you're cutting off my breathing," giggled May.

Jahan watched on as every one of May's Pokémon joined in the group hug. His face remained indifferent. "Man, your Pokémon must have been worried sick," Jahan said.

"I can imagine," May replied.

"Hmph," scoffed Jahan.

Jahan then noticed something strange about May's Pokémon. He quickly reached over and picked up Glaceon. He held her up high into the air and looked on with astonishment. "Where did you get a Glaceon?" he asked, frantically.

"You know, where did I get that Glaceon?" May asked.

"Well, remember when you had an Eevee?" Drew asked.

May then looked back at Glaceon with the same look of astonishment that Jahan had. She swiped Glaceon from his hands and gazed upon her. "_Hey May,_" Glaceon said.

"You...you evolved?" May asked, stunned.

"_I found one of those special rocks you were talking about in the Ice Path_," Glaceon said. "_I touched it and now...here am I!_"

May then hugged Glaceon and pressed up against her face. "Oh Eevee, I'm so happy!" May shouted. "You finally evolved, just like you always wanted!"

"_I know! It feels amazing...like I can win every battle and contest!_" boasted Glaceon.

"Well...we'll see about that," May said.

Everyone continued celebrating, but Jahan remained as grumpy as ever. He got up from his seat and began heading towards the stairs. May looked up and noticed this. "Jahan, where are you going?" May asked.

"I'm going to bed early today," he replied, a bit angrily.

The noise and chatter simmered down as everyone watched Jahan walk up to his room with Luxray following close behind. May slowly got up, her Pokémon moving aside so she could and turned to Jahan. "Jahan, wait!" she called out.

Jahan stopped as he reached the top of the stairs. He glanced over his shoulder and looked down below. "Jahan I just want to say," she began. "Thank you for stopping by and helping me get here. I don't know what would have happened if you weren't around."

Jahan still stared at her. "I know you don't really like me," continued May, "or any other Coordinator for that matter. But it's still nice to know that I can count on you if I was ever in any trouble. You're still a good human being deep down."

Jahan only waved his right hand towards her. "It's just whatever, okay?" he replied. "Don't worry 'bout it. Just continue having fun with all your Pokémon."

Jahan turned around. He was about to head to his room, but then he remembered something. "Actually May," he spoke.  
"Yes?" she asked.

Jahan turned his whole body around and looked down at May's Pokémon, specifically Blaziken. "About Blaziken," he began. "How much does Blaziken mean to you?"

May glanced over at Blaziken, who glanced right back at her. May then turned back to Jahan. "Blaziken means a lot to me," she replied. "I remember when he was just a Torchic. He was my first Pokémon. He and I have had some great memories together, winning contests and battles."

"So...if something bad were to happen to Blaziken, you would be devastated, right?" asked Jahan.  
"Well, of course I would," May said. "I feel that way about any of my Pokémon."

"Oh! Well, in that case, the bet's off."

Everyone was surprised to hear Jahan say that, especially May and Blaziken. "What bet?" May asked.

"The one where if you lost to me in any battle, I get Blaziken," reminded Jahan.

"Oh yeah! Now I remember!"

"Well, that's off the table. I realized that losing a Pokémon isn't really very fun, regardless of who you are."

And that was it. Jahan went to his room and disappeared from everyone's sight. May sighed as she sympathized with Jahan. "_Poor Jahan,_" she thought. "_He must really feel depressed about Tyranitar_."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Somewhere behind Mount Mortar, the giant, rock Pokémon sat on the ground, staring at the dirt, feeling sad and miserable. He sighed as he looked around his surroundings. He was all alone. No people. No Pokémon. Just him. He looked back down to the ground, where he drew a simplistic picture of Jahan and the other Pokémon into the dirt. Tyranitar only stared at the dirt drawings. This was the closest he has to companions.

He closed his eyes, shook his head, and furiously erased the dirt pictures. He looked up at the moon and began shouting, not caring if there was no one to hear him. "_What happened to me_?" he asked himself. "_What did_ _Team Galactic people do to me? They ruined my life! I can't be with master! I can't be with Croconaw or the others! I can't get near anybody anymore! You turned me into a monster!_"

He then slammed his mighty fist down into the ground. H winched as he felt power and energy flowing through his veins. "_No, it's happening again!_" he groaned. He bared his sharp fangs and stood upright. "_This is all their fault. This...is...all...their...FAAAULLLTTT!_"

His eyes glowed brightly as he reared his head back...and let out a might roar, a roar so powerful, it could shatter the mountain in front of him into pieces.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: So, that's chapter 26 for you. I had a really rough time with this chapter. For this chapter, I thought I would try something different behind-the-scenes.

You see, unlike with the previous chapters (where I made it up on the spot), I actually outlined and planned out what I wanted to do for the next few chapters. I used that guideline for this chapter, then I began putting in more details and more events to further flesh out the story. But by the time I finished it, this chapter was a whopping twenty-one pages in Microsoft Word (Verdana font, size 9).

I looked over it and realized what a horrific mess it was. So I went back and pretty much started all over, this time, trying hard to stick to the original outline and not steer from it too much.

Overall, the finalized version turned out much better than what it was before.

**NEXT TIME: **May's second gym battle: May versus Pryce, the Teacher of Winter's Harshness! Will May's fire-type Pokémon manage to heat up the battle does Pryce have a few tricks up his sleeves?

Find out in the next exciting chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	26. May VS Pryce! Part One

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By MisterAnimeFan

REVIEW REPLIES:

**DawnAngel14: **Interesting story about the Powershipping name :P. And don't worry, Harley will be making an appearance in the Pokémon Contest.

**Vip-4-prez:** I am thinking about working in May's trip to Sinnoh, despite the retcon I made (Glaceon evolves in Johto and not Sinnoh).

**NotSoSlightlyCrazy:** All of Valerie's "Eeveelutions" are female, so there won't be any crushes or anything. As for Jahan, well, he may start have feelings for May, but I doubt he'll accept them.

**Arysd:** Sometimes I wish Jahan was a real character in the anime too. It would be nice to see some of this fanfic in the anime, but of course that would never happen! XD

**M the gate:** Silver's not exactly a bad person. He has his reasons for joining Team Rocket.

Thank you all for your reviews! I thought I would let you guys know that **I now have a Formspring account (link on my profile)**. On Formspring, you all can ask me all sorts of different questions and get to know me better! So I would love for you guys to go and check it out! And feel free to ask me any question you want (just so long as it isn't too personal or risky...AND NO SPAM).

I especially want to thank you all for making "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles" my second most-reviewed fanfic (behind "Ninja Love 2"). Thank you all so much for your support!

Now then, onto May VS Pryce!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Quilava (Flamethrower, Flame Wheel, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Glaceon (Ice Shard, Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

Vespiquen (Power Gem, Toxic, Fury Cutter)

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Mahogany Town**

"May, I really think you should wait another day before going out to face the gym leader," advised Drew, as May fixed her hair and wrapped her bandana around her head.

"Why? I feel fine!" May said, proudly. "Besides, I've done nothing but rest for days! I'm just itching take on Pryce and win my Glacier Badge!"

"Yeah Drew, let her be," Jahan replied, as he laid on the couch. "The sooner she loses, the sooner I can battle Pryce for my Glacier Badge!"

"Oh really?" May asked, annoyed. "Well, I hate to disappoint you, Jahan. But I don't plan on losing today!"

At the Pokémon Center, May began preparing for today's gym battle with Pryce. She had been resting for the past two days and she was now more than eager to take on the gym leader. "So, you got a battle plan for today?" asked Jahan.

"Of course!" boasted May. "I figured that since Pryce uses Ice-type Pokémon, I would use Quilava and Blaziken for this battle."

"Exploiting their weakness," Jahan said. "So I guess you do have _**some**_ battling finesse."

"_Of course we do!_" Blaziken replied. "_Have you seen me in battle? I can easily take out any one of Pryce's Pokémon!_

"You sure you're ready, May?" Drew asked.

"Drew, you worry too much," replied May. "I'm fine and I'm ready to get that Glacier Badge. Now let's go!"

May retreated Blaziken into his Poké Ball and she & Drew headed towards the entrance of the Pokémon Center. Jahan remained on the couch, watching the two. He kept staring at May. There was something different about her and the way she looked.

May noticed Jahan and stopped in her tracks. "Ummm...Jahan?" asked May. "Are you coming or not?"

"Is that green guy going to be there?" asked Jahan.

"Who me?" Drew asked.

"No, not you! That other green guy with the purple hair," Jahan said.

"Oh! You mean, Harley!" realized May. "Ummm...I don't think so. I'm not sure if he even knows I'm here."

"In that case, I'll go," Jahan said. "But only because I want to see what tricks Pryce has up his sleeves. It's not because I support you or anything."

"Fine then," sneered May.

The three of them walked out of the Pokémon Center.

As they walked through the town, Drew and May looked around and saw two wooden guard towers overlooking the entire town. In fact, most of the town's buildings featured traditional Japanese architecture. "What's with the watch towers?" May asked.

"Mahogany Town used to be a home for ninjas," explained Jahan. "They had those watch towers to keep an eye out for enemy clans who would try to ambush them."

"Oh..." said May.

Jahan took a quick glance at May's posture as she walked over to the gym. She had her head held up high and she was smiling the whole way through. It contrasted with how she was back at Blackthorn City. She snapped at people whenever Clair's name was brought up, she seemed uncertain, and even though she had a serious face, you could easily tell she was nervous.

May then noticed Jahan staring. "Jahan...are you okay?" May asked.

"You're really confident that you can beat Pryce, aren't you?" Jahan asked. May nodded. "You know, Pryce is a gym leader for a reason. He's no pushover."

"Oh, I know! But Clair is the toughest gym leader in Johto, so that means the other gym leaders aren't as tough?"  
"Well, Clair **is** the toughest gym leader in the Johto region," confirmed Jahan, "but that doesn't mean you should let your guard down. I'm sure Pryce has a few tricks to throw you off if you're not careful."

"Don't worry about it, May," said Drew. "You can beat Pryce. Whatever happens, I know you can do it!"

May smiled at him. "Thanks Drew," she said.

"So says the guy who pushed May down a hole and almost got her killed," mentioned Jahan.

"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" Drew shouted, angrily. May sighed as the two continued arguing.

They soon arrived at the Mahogany Town Gym. Unlike the Blackthorn City Gym, the Mahogany Town Gym was pretty standard. The gym resembled that of a large warehouse. It had a new grey paint job (it was originally pink) and an arched red roof. The windows were triangular and stood high off the ground. A bright blue sign stood above the windows. It read: MAHOGANY TOWN GYM. Along the bottom of the building were false icicles that poked up from the ground against the gym.

The three of them walked inside the gym. As they walked deeper into the gym, they felt the air get colder and colder. "It's freezing in here!" shivered May. She grabbed her arms to try and retain some body heat.

"Getting déjà vu from the Ice Path?" Drew asked.

"Let's hope May doesn't fall into any hole-OW!" Jahan shouted, as he grabbed his knee.

"Sorry," Drew said. "My foot slipped."

Soon, they happened upon the gym's battlefield. Much like the exterior of the gym, the battlefield was simple. However, the surroundings were extraordinary. Icicles hanged from the ceiling as well as the railings. The steel walls were blue, but were slippery to touch, as if they were laced with ice.

The entire battlefield was sunken in, with small bleachers off to the side so that spectators could view the battle. The battlefield was made entirely out of ice with mounds of snow and rocks littered everywhere. A scoreboard hung on the walls. The air conditioning could be heard roaring loudly as it ventilated cold air into the gym.

It was so cold that everyone could see their own breath. Even though, Drew and Jahan were wearing sweaters and long-sleeved shirts, they still felt cold. Jahan then turned to May. "Okay May, just in case the ice and the snow and the coldness didn't tip you off, Pryce is going to use Ice-type Pokémon," joked Jahan.

"I know that!" snapped May.

"Geez, could Pryce be any more subtle?" added Drew.

"Ah, May! You're here!" shouted a voice.

From across the field Pryce slowly walked towards the three. He was completely covered from head-to-toe in warm clothing. He wore a long blue jacket, a scarf around his neck, wool pants, and snow boots. "I've been wondering when you were going to arrive!" Pryce said. "Ready for the battle?"

"I've been ready!" May said, proudly.

"Well alright then, let's not waste any more time!" Pryce said.

Pryce and May took their positions on the battlefield while Drew and Jahan sat down on the bleachers. They continued to rub their own arms to try and keep warm. Pryce noticed their shivering. "What's wrong with you two?" Pryce asked. "Why is everybody shaking?"

"Because it's cold in here!" snapped Jahan.

"You think you can turn down the A/C just a little bit?" Drew asked, kindly.

"No, I like the cold and so does my Pokémon," explained Pryce.

"Well," Jahan said, "this whole ice factory thing you have going on isn't working for me."

"Well it's going to have to work," replied Pryce. "Because I'm not turning down the air-conditioning."

"Oh come on Pryce," pleaded Drew. "We're going to freeze to death."

"Well that's your fault. I warned you guys to bring warm clothing."

"You did?" May asked.

"Yes I did," answered Pryce.

He pointed to Drew. "I told him that you guys should bring warm clothing because of how cold my gym is," he explained.

"You never told me that," rebutted Drew.

"It's true," Jahan said. "I was there the whole time May was there and you never told me or Drew that we had to wear warm clothing."

"Are you sure?" Pryce asked.

"Positive," answered Drew.

"Oh. Could have sworn that I did tell you guys. Ah, you'll forget about the cold in just a few minutes anyway."

Pryce then turned back to May. "Are you ready May?" Pryce asked. May nodded her head.

The referee stood in the center of the battlefield in-between May and Pryce. He raised his flags up in the air. "The battle between May from Petalburg City and Gym Leader Pryce from Mahogany Town is about to commence!" he announced. "This battle will be a three-on-three challenge, with each trainer using only one Pokémon at a time. In addition, only the challenge can switch out Pokémon at any time. The gym leader cannot. And now...let the battle begin!"

"Here we go!" commented Drew.

Pryce reached into his pocket and took out a Poké Ball. He threw it up into the air. "Froslass, let's go!" shouted Pryce. The Poké Ball opened up and out came out a Froslass. She was a small but slender Pokémon, who hovered over the ground. "Wow...never seen that Pokémon before," commented May. Drew got out his PokéDex and looked up Froslass.

**FROSLASS**

**The Snow Land Pokémon**

**Froslass freezes its foes with an icy breath that is nearly 60 degrees Fahrenheit below zero. Its body is hollow.**

Froslass continued swaying around in the air, as if it was taunting May. "I remember seeing a Froslass back in Hoenn," mentioned Jahan. "Don't let her size fool you. I can be very powerful. Trust me on this. You don't want to ever threaten its young Snorunt."

"Why were you threatening her Snorunt?" questioned Drew.

"I wasn't. That little Snorunt stole my food!"

"Regardless of that, he is right!" continued Pryce. "I may have only caught Froslass just recently, but she's a powerful Pokémon that you don't want to underestimate. But let's see what you're going to use, May."

May watched the Froslass float in the battlefield. She began to contemplate her choice for the opening Pokémon. She took out two of her Poké Balls. One was Blaziken's and the other Quilava. "_Hmmm...let's see,_" she thought. "_Which one should I use? Froslass is an Ice-type, so either Blaziken or Quilava can easily take it on no problem._"

"Let's go May! Get on with it!" jeered Jahan.

"Shut up! I'm thinking!" May snapped back.

Eventually, she put one of the Poké Balls back into her pocket. "Alright, Blaziken, let's g-"

Before May could release Blaziken, one of her other Poké Balls suddenly popped open in her bag. Glaceon appeared on the battlefield, ready to battle. Her sudden appearance took May by surprise. She almost dropped Blaziken's Poké Ball. "Glaceon?" asked May.

"_Don't worry May!_" assured Glaceon. "_I can take her on!_"

"A Glaceon, eh?" asked Pryce. "That's an odd choice for a starting Pokémon. I mean, she's just evolved and you haven't had much experience using it. But let's see what it can do."

"Actually, that's not the Pokémon I want to use!" argued May.

But it was too late. Both Froslass and Glaceon appeared on the scoreboard. May groaned as her Glaceon stared down at Froslass. "Glaceon, what are you doing?" she asked.

"_Come on May! I can beat Froslass easily!_" boasted Glaceon.

"But Glaceon..." pleaded May.

"_May, you haven't put me in any battles! I'm roaring to go!_"

"Glaceon..."

"_I know I can beat her. I evolved, so that must mean that I am much stronger now. Please..."_

Glaceon and May stared at each other for a moment. Glaceon gave her trainer a best puppy dog look. Eventually, May's look of doubt was replaced with a smile. "Alright Glaceon," agreed May. "Let's wipe Froslass out!"

"_**Round One: Glaceon vs. Froslass...begin!"**_ the referee announced.

"Froslass, use Ice Shard!" commanded Pryce. Froslass lifted her arms up over her head and produced a glowing ball of ice. She then launched it towards Glaceon. "Glaceon, dodge and use Shadow Ball!" commanded May.

Glaceon quickly rolled out of the way. Glaceon then formed a dark ball of energy and shot it out of its mouth. Froslass quickly swerved out of its trajectory. "Froslass, use Confuse Ray!" ordered Pryce.

Froslass shot out a swirling purple beam from her arms towards Glaceon. "Glaceon, stop it with Shadow Ball!" said May. Glaceon created a ball of dark energy in front of its mouth, then fired it at Froslass's Confuse Ray. The two attacks cancelled each other out. "Use Ominous Wind!" shouted Pryce.

Froslass began to spin round and round, which kicked up a gust of wind. May, Glaceon, Drew, and Jahan raised their arms as a fury of snow impaired their vision.

When the small snowstorm cleared, the little mountains on snow had been flattened, completely changing the landscape of the battlefield. Only the small pool in the center remained the same.

May looked towards the stands and saw that Jahan and Drew were completely buried up to their necks in snow. Jahan spat some snow out of his mouth. "What was that for?" Jahan asked, angrily.

"As if we weren't cold enough," complained Drew.

She laughed as Drew and Jahan both angrily tried to shake the snow off their persons. "I wouldn't be laughing if I were you," warned Pryce.

May turned back towards the battlefield. Glaceon easily dug her way out of the snow, but Froslass had disappeared from sight. May and Glaceon both eyed the battlefield cautiously. Glaceon slowly walked around, trying to sense Froslass's presence. "Where is Froslass?" May asked.

Glaceon started to look around much more quickly, trying to see where Froslass would be attacking from. "_Where are you?_"Glaceon asked, worriedly. "_I know you're around here! Show yourself!_"

"Froslass, use Ice Shard!" ordered Pryce.

Suddenly, May saw a pair of eyes poking through a pile of snow behind Glaceon. "Glaceon, behind you!" she screamed.

Glaceon quickly turned around...and a ball of ice struck her in the face! It sent Glaceon flying back first into a rock. Glaceon fell to the ground. "That's it, she's out!" Jahan shouted, happily.

"No, she's not!" protested May.

She turned back to Glaceon. "Come on Glaceon! Get up!" she shouted. She watched as Glaceon slowly got to her feet. Glaceon looked around and saw that Froslass had disappeared again! She had quickly hid herself in the snow while no one was looking.

"_Oh great, where did she go now?_" Glaceon asked, looking around frantically. She ran around the battlefield, trying desperately to avoid being attacked. "Froslass, use Shadow Ball!" Pryce said.

Suddenly, a pair of arms poked through the snow right underneath Glaceon and launched a Shadow Ball at Glaceon, sending her flying into the air. Froslass quickly disappeared then reappeared above Glaceon. "No!" shouted May.

"Froslass, finish her off with Ominous Wind!" Pryce ordered.

Froslass stuck her arms out towards Glaceon and let out another huge gust of wind. The wind forced Glaceon back down towards the ground. The impact and the wind sent even more snow flying around the gym, mostly towards Drew and Jahan in the stands. Everyone covered their eyes as flurry of ice flew into their faces and all over their clothes.

When everything settled down, the environment changed again. Along with more snow in the stands, the Ominous Wind tossed aside the snow so that it surrounded the area where Glaceon landed. "**Will you stop with the snow?**" Jahan shouted, angrily.

"Pipe down or I'll throw you out of here!" warned Pryce.

May wasn't too concerned about the snow lacing her body. She wondered where Glaceon went. She didn't see her anyway. "Glaceon? Where are you?" asked May. "Speak to me!"

No one heard a sound. Froslass floated gently back down to the ground. But Glaceon was still nowhere to be seen. "Maybe she's buried underneath the snow?" suggested Drew.

"Oh no," worried May. She brought her fist up to her mouth as she constantly scanned the field looking for her.

Finally, Glaceon appeared on the battlefield. She struggled to pull herself out from underneath the snow. "Glaceon!" May shouted, both worried and relieved. "Glaceon! Are you okay?"

Glaceon didn't answer. She just limped slowly towards Froslass until she finally collapsed in the snow, losing all consciousness. The referee raised his flag. "Glaceon is unable to continue battling!" he announced. "This round goes to Froslass!"

May didn't say anything. She only took out Glaceon's Poké Ball and retreated her back inside. She held the Poké Ball up to her mouth. "Glaceon," she whispered, mournfully. "You tried, but you just weren't ready yet." She put her Poké Ball back into her bag.

"Aw man, Glaceon lost? Really?" Jahan asked, playfully. "Shoot! I thought Glaceon was going to win that!"

"Oh shut up Jahan," snapped Drew.

"No really," joked Jahan. "I thought Glaceon was going to win."

May sighed depressingly. "Poor May," murmured Drew. "Don't worry May! This isn't over yet!"

"Don't feel sorry for her," responded Jahan. "It's her fault she lost the first round. I mean, did she really think that an Ice-type Pokémon would be able to defeat another Ice-type Pokémon?"

"Hey, lay off Jahan!" snapped Drew. "She didn't have much time to experiment with what Glaceon could do. At least give her credit for trying."

"Trying doesn't win gym badges. Trying doesn't win League Championships. You hear that, May?"

May refused to answer Jahan. She tried to focus her attention back to the battle.

"I got to say May," Pryce said, shaking his head. "I was expecting a little more from you. That was...a bit underwhelming."

"Indeed it was," said a voice.

Everyone suddenly turned towards the gym's entrance. "If only May would actually live up to the hype that surrounds her day and night," continued the voice. "But sadly, she does not, which is why she lost her first Johto contest back in Blackthorn City."

May immediately recognized the voice. Sure enough, there she was! Valerie stood in the entryway of the gym with her servant Harold coming up from behind. Unlike everyone else, she was dressed for colder climates, with a heavy jacket, earmuffs, a scarf, gloves, long pants, and boots, all of them bright blue. "Valerie?" May asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Do not be alarmed May. I came here because I wanted to see one of your gym battles," answered Valerie. "After all, that's the only reason why anyone would even be remotely interested in you. Although, it appears that, just like our previous battle at Blackthorn, you're going to lose this battle."

"No I'm not!" snapped May. "I still have two Pokémon left to use!"

"If you like, I'll let you use my Flareon," teased Valerie. "My Flareon can battle Pryce's Pokémon much better than yours can."

"I don't need your help!" May shouted back. "I got a Fire-type Pokémon that can easily wipe out any Pokémon on Pryce's team."

"Well then, let's see it," taunted Pryce.

"Alright!"

May reached into her bag and took out another Poké Ball. "Quilava, let's go!" she shouted. She threw the Poké Ball.

The Poké Ball popped open and Quilava jumped out onto the field. Her back erupted into fire, which melted the snow around her. Froslass's eyes popped. "_Oh no_," she murmured. Pryce, on the other hand, remained calm about May using a Fire-type Pokémon on his Ice-type.

"Alright, now it's time for some action," smiled Drew.

"At least now we'll get some heat in this gym," Jahan said, still cold from having snow blown in his face.

Quilava grinned as she looked at the Froslass trying to put on a brave face. "_Come on May,_" she smirked. "_I was hoping for something a little more challenging._"

"_**Round Two: Quilava vs. Froslass...begin!**_" shouted the referee.

"Quilava, use Flamethrower now!" May shouted.

Quilava's flames got bigger as she harassed all of her energy. She let out a huge stream of fire towards Froslass. Froslass quickly disappeared from the line of fire (A/N: no pun intended). "Froslass, use Confuse Ray!" Pryce said.

Froslass reappeared on the field and shot a Confuse Ray towards Quilava. "Quilava, dodge and use Flame Wheel!"

Quilava rolled off to the side of field to avoid the nasty Confuse Ray attack. She then charged at Froslass. She curled into a ball of fire and rolled towards Froslass. Froslass swiftly eluded the attack and proceeded to hide herself in the snow again.

While Quilava and Froslass battled, Valerie and Harold sat down on the wooden bleachers besides Drew and Jahan. Jahan shut his eyes as the heat radiating from Quilava's back warmed his body. "Ahh...it's so warm..." he murmured.

"What's the matter?" Valerie asked. "Couldn't afford a simple jacket?"

"No!" snapped Jahan. "We didn't know that the gym would be this cold."

Valerie only scoffed. She then noticed the green-haired trainer watching the battle. "Hey, I know you!" she said, grabbing his attention. "You're the young man who won the Cool Ribbon in the last contest."

"Yes," confirmed Drew. "And you're the one who won the Beauty Ribbon."

"That's right!" answered Valerie, feeling proud of her achievement.

"However, I also heard that you threatened May after the contest," added Drew. "You grabbed her chin, called her a bitch, and then threatened her."

"Wait...she did what?" Jahan asked, surprised.

Drew got out of his seat and then looked Valerie in the eyes. "What are you doing?" asked Valerie.

"You listen to me," warned Drew, "I understand that you're happy that you beat May, but if you _**ever**_ lay one finger on her again, you and me are going to have problems."

Valerie continued to look Drew in the eyes, but she then closed her eyes and wiped her hair into Drew's face. "Whatever," she replied. "Get out of my face!" Drew then sat back down in his seat. Jahan was shocked at what just happened between Drew and Valerie. "_Wow...this coordinating stuff really gets dirty sometimes,_" he thought.

Back at the battle, Froslass had consistently hid herself in the snow, only for Quilava to roll by and try to scorch her with a Flame Wheel. Eventually, Froslass had nowhere to hide. Quilava's Flame Wheel had melted all of the snow. All that remained were a couple of rocks and a flat sheet of ice. "Quilava, end this with Flamethrower!" May shouted.

Quilava let out another huge Flamethrower towards Froslass. Froslass was engulfed in fire! Once Quilava ceased her attack, Froslass fell to the floor, a burned and torched Pokémon. "Froslass is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "The winner of this round is Quilava!"

"Yes!" said May, happily.

"_Too easy,_" boasted Quilava.

"Go May!" cheered May.

"Thank you for the warmness!" praised Jahan. Valerie remained quiet.

Pryce retreated his Froslass back into its home. "Ah Froslass, you tried your best but it wasn't enough," Pryce said to his fallen fighter. "Hopefully, next time, you'll have a better understanding of battling."

Pryce then turned to May. "Well Pryce, how was that?" she asked, boastfully.

"Well, it went better than the last round," commented Pryce. "I've seen some powerful Fire-types, but that Quilava is something else."

Pryce took out another Poké Ball. "But if you think you can just sweep through the rest of my Pokémon with just a Fire-type, you got another thing coming," continued Pryce. "My next Pokémon will really test your abilities as a trainer."

He threw his Poké Ball into the air. "Go, Walrein!" he called out.

The Ball opened up and a mighty, 300-pound Walrein flopped onto the field. It reared its head and let out a mighty roar as it bared its heavy tusks. May and Quilava were intimidated by its large size and power. Pryce smiled. "Oh and May," he said. "Quilava's Flame Wheel may have melted the snow, but it did something else to the field as well."

"Huh?" May and Qulava asked.

Suddenly...the sound of ice breaking echoed throughout the gym.

**0o0o0o0 TO BE CONTINUED... o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: Finally, chapter 27 is finished! Hopefully, the first part of May's second gym battle has everybody on their feet!

**NEXT TIME: **May's second gym battle continues. The ice is breaking, which is turning the battlefield into a huge swimming pool of ice-cold water. Clearly, Quilava doesn't stand a chance against Walrein...not with these conditions. So May decides to bring in Wartortle. But can Wartortle overcome Walrein's massive size and strength?

Find out in the next electrifying chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	27. May VS Pryce! Part Two

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By MisterAnimeFan

REVIEW REPLIES:

**-SmilingArtist-: **Hopefully May won't have to face Pryce twice. Seeing as how this is Wartortle...well...read on.

**Arysd:** Originally, I was going have Solidad **and **Harley sit alongside Drew and Jahan, but for whatever reason, I decided against it. I thought Jahan and Drew were good enough for some comedic relief and battle commentary. But I figured that I'd throw Valerie in there, just because.

**A La DarkAngel:** I'll tell you right now that Wartortle won't evolve. I don't think I'll evolve Wartortle until after May comes back from the contest in Sinnoh (I am going to work into my story). Nonetheless, I think you will like the battle between him and Walrein.

**Linda Chicana: **If you think Valerie is bad here, wait until the Mahogany Contest.

What's this? Another chapter? And it's finished in less than a month? Stop the presses! LOL XD!

But seriously, thank you all so much for the 200 reviews this story has received! I'm so happy that so many people read my story and leave me reviews on what they think! It's what keeps me going on with this story, no matter how long I've been working on it!

Anyway, he's the rest of May vs. Pryce!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Quilava (Flamethrower, Flame Wheel, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Glaceon (Ice Shard, Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

Vespiquen (Power Gem, Toxic, Fury Cutter)

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

_**LAST TIME...**_

_After resting for a few days at the Pokémon Center, May decided that it was finally time for her to battle against Pryce and win her Glacier Badge. Drew and Jahan accompanied her to the gym so that they can root for her (well, at least Drew is rooting for her)._

_The battle started with Pryce sending out his Froslass. May was originally going to use a Fire-type Pokémon, but Glaceon suddenly popped out of her Poké Ball. May didn't want to use Glaceon, but Glaceon insisted that she could defeat Froslass. The battle commenced...and Glaceon is easily defeated by Froslass, who hid herself in the snow and attacked her when she least expected it._

_Jahan continued to berate May's efforts. And just when May thought that Jahan's jeering was enough, Valerie suddenly arrived to watch May's gym battle (much to May and Drew's dismay)._

_For the second round, May sent out her Quilava. Being a Fire-type, not only did Quilava manage to defeat Froslass, but she also melted away all of the snow on the battlefield!_

_Just when it seemed like May had the upper hand, Pryce fought back._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Mahogany Town Gym**

"Well Pryce, how was that?" she asked, boastfully.

"Well, it went better than the last round," commented Pryce. "I've seen some powerful Fire-types, but that Quilava is something else."

Pryce took out another Poké Ball. "But if you think you can just sweep through the rest of my Pokémon with just a Fire-type, you got another thing coming," continued Pryce. "My next Pokémon will really test your abilities as a trainer."

He threw his Poké Ball into the air. "Go, Walrein!" he called out.

The Ball opened up and a mighty, 300-pound Walrein flopped onto the field. It reared its head and let out a mighty roar as it bared its heavy tusks. May and Quilava were intimidated by its large size and power. Both Quilava and May were amazed at the sight and size of the powerful Walrein. May quickly took out her PokéDex and looked up Walrein's entry.

**Walrein**

**The Ice Break Pokémon**

**Walrein's two massively developed tusks can completely shatter blocks of ice weighing ten tons with one blow, even when swimming in frigid seawater. Its thick layer of blubber not only keeps it warm in subzero temperatures, but it also makes enemy attacks bounce off harmlessly.**

"Oh man," May said, worriedly. "I don't like how that sounds."

Pryce smiled. "Oh and May," he said. "Quilava's Flame Wheel may have melted the snow, but it did something else to the field as well."

"Huh?" May and Quilava asked.

Suddenly...the sound of ice breaking echoed throughout the gym. Everything was quiet as they heard another crack. "I don't like how that sounds either," May said.

"Well this isn't good," remarked Jahan.

Most of the battlefield cracked and the ice broke away, revealing the ice cold water underneath Quilava quickly backed away as the ice broke inches away from her feet. May took out Quilava's Poké Ball. "Quilava, return!" she ordered. The red beam hit Quilava and Quilava went back into her Poké Ball just as the ice broke underneath her feet.

"She's making a substitution," commented Drew. "I wonder who she's going to send out now."

"She only has one Pokémon left, so she better make it count," Jahan said.

"A shame that Glaceon of hers lost so quickly," said Valerie. "If only it had a more competent trainer..."

"Excuse me, I can hear you," May said.

"Oh wonderful! At least you're not hearing-impaired," taunted Valerie.

May said nothing afterwards. She focused her attention to the battlefield, which was now a pool of ice-cold water with bits of the ice floating on top. May thought over her choices carefully. "_Well if Quilava can't battle on the water, then I doubt Blaziken can do much better,_" thought May. "_I think I know who to use for this round. If he can defeat a Gabite, then I'm sure he can handle his own against a Walrein_."

She reached into her bag and took out a Poké Ball. She threw it into the air. "Let's go, Wartortle!" she called out.

The Poké Ball opened up and Wartortle jumped onto the battlefield, landing on the ice. "_Alright!_" Wartortle said. "_It's time for me to deliver another show-stopping battle! Now who is the unlucky Pokémon who shall fall under my power?_"

Wartortle looked across the battlefield and was shocked to see the large Walrein poised on his perch. "_Wow...another big Pokémon, huh?_" Wartortle asked.

"You can take him, can't ya?" May asked.

"_Oh yeah, are you kidding?_" boasted Wartortle. "_Big Pokémon like him are nothing to me!_"

"_Ha!_" laughed Walrein. "_Is this really who I have to go up against? You really can't give me worthy challenge?_"

"_Don't be so quick to judge,_" warned Wartortle. "_I took out an entire room of Pokémon and defeated a Gabite with little to no problems!_"

"_Pah!_" scoffed the Walrein. "_That Gabite must have been weak!_"

"_**Round Three: Wartortle vs. Walrein...begin!**_" shouted the referee.

"Wartortle, start off with Water Gun!" May shouted.

Wartortle reared his head and shot a stream of water from his mouth towards Walrein. The Water Gun hit Walrein, but Walrein didn't even flinch. "What?" asked May, surprised.

"_Bah! Nothing!_" Walrein taunted.

"Ummm...okay then, Wartortle use Ice Beam!" May shouted.

Wartortle reared his head back again and shot an Ice Beam at the Walrein. The Ice Beam hit its target, but Walrein only laughed. "_Is that really all you got?_" taunted Walrein.

"Walrein, show them your power with Body Slam!" commanded Pryce.

Walrein ducked down and then jumped into the air. "Dodge it, Wartortle!"

Wartortle quickly jumped back and avoided Walrein's Body Slam, but Walrein's body slammed the edge of the floating ice platform, causing the other end to catapult Wartortle up into the air. "Oh no! Wartortle!" shouted May.

"_Whooaaa!_" shouted Wartortle, as his body flew into the air.

"Walrein, use Water Pulse!"

From the ground, Walrein formed a blue ball of energy in his mouth. He fired into the sky towards Wartortle. The energy ball hit Wartortle, creating a cloud of smoke in the sky. "Wartortle!" May shouted, worriedly.

Wartortle emerged from the smoke and crash-landed onto another ice platform. He landed on his head and then settled onto his stomach. "Wartortle, are you alright?" May asked.

Wartortle picked himself up and rubbed his head. "_Okay...that hurt,_" groaned Wartortle.

"Walrein, use Ice Fang!" shouted Pryce.

Walrein's huge tusks glowed as he launched two blue zigzag beams towards Wartortle. "Wartortle, block it with Ice Beam!" ordered May.

Wartortle shot the Ice Beam towards the Ice Fang attack. But the Ice Fang only plowed through the Ice Beam. The Ice Fang hit Wartortle and Wartortle flew backwards onto another ice platform. He was knocked unconscious.

"Marvelous, Pryce!" cheered Valerie. "Show her no mercy!"

"Don't listen to her, Wartortle! We can win this!" May shouted to her Pokémon.

"It's over May," taunted Pryce. "Walrein is a powerful Pokémon that can't be beat by simple attacks. Now Walrein, jump into the water!"

Walrein did as he was told and jumped through the cracks of the battlefield into the water below. "Come on Wartortle! Wake up!" cheered May.

For a moment, Wartortle remained lifeless on his stomach. But soon, he started to show signs of life. He shook his head as he picked himself up off the ice. "_I'm okay!_" he said. He then looked around the battlefield and saw that Walrein was nowhere in sight.

"Now Walrein, use Body Slam!" Pryce shouted.

Wartortle looked around to see where Walrein may be coming from. May then had an idea. "Wartortle, hurry and use Aqua Tail!" May shouted.

Wartortle's tail glowed brightly and a spiral of water quickly formed around his tail. As soon as Walrein's jumped out of the water, ready to Body Slam Wartortle, Wartortle quickly jumped, did a front-flip, and whipped his tail forward. His tail made impact with Walrein's head. Everyone gasped as Walrein fell back into the water, stunned by the attack. "Alright Wartortle!" cheered May.

"That's it, May!" cheered Drew. "That's what I'm talking about!"

"I'll admit, that looked like it hurt," commented Jahan. Valerie said nothing. She continued watching the battle with interest.

Pryce looked worried. "Walrein, can you hear me?" he asked. "Say something!"

Walrein's soon resurfaced. He hoisted his upper body up onto an ice platform and shook his head. "_How did ya like that?_" taunted Wartortle.

"_So, you actually __**can**__ put up a fight,_" replied Walrein. "_I'll admit, that Aqua Tail really hurt. But I can do even more hurt to you!_"

Walrein then hoisted the rest of his body up onto the ice platform. "Walrein, use Body Slam!"

Walrein leaped into the air. Wartortle quickly jumped onto another ice platform, avoiding Walrein's attack. But Walrein's body broke the ice platform into pieces. "Wartortle, use Aqua Tail!"

Wartortle prepared the attack. Once he saw Walrein getting closer to the surface, he jumped up. "Walrein, use Water Pulse now!"

Before Wartortle could land his attack, another blue ball of energy was launched from under the surface of the water and made contact with Wartortle's front side. Wartortle was sent flying back onto another ice platform. Fortunately, he landed on his feet. The hailstorm continued to rain over the battlefield. "Walrein, use Body Slam!"

Walrein suddenly appeared behind Wartortle. "Wartortle, use Water Gun! Give it all you got!"

Wartorte suddenly turned around and unleashed a powerful stream of water from his mouth towards Walrein. Unlike the last Water Gun, he did some damage against Walrein. Walrein flew back onto another ice platform behind him. "Yes!" May shouted, happily.

"Alright!" cheered Drew.

Walrein landed on the ice platform. While the Water Gun didn't do much damage, it was powerful. "Walrein, use Ice Fang!" Pryce ordered.

Walrein's tusks glowed and fired two zigzag beams towards Wartortle. "Wartortle, dodge and use Aqua Tail!" May shouted.

Wartortle quickly side-stepped the Ice Fang and delivered another Aqua Tail to Walrein's head. "Good one, May!" shouted Drew.

"Will you shut up?" Valerie asked, angrily. "Can't you just watch the battle in peace?"

"I'm only trying to cheer May on," Drew replied.

"Well, quit it. Nothing you can do will help May win this gym battle," argued Valerie.

"I don't know about that," piped in Jahan. "May's actually putting up quite a fight."

In the battlefield, Walrein launched a Water Pulse towards Wartortle. Again, Wartortle avoided the attack and countered with an Ice Beam. "You see," continued Jahan. "Walrein may be powerful, but he's also incredibly slow. He can't avoid attacks very easily. He could ward them off with his belly, but his head remains vulnerable. Wartortle, while not very powerful, he's small and quick. May and Wartortle are trying to take advantage of that. Got to admit, that's pretty smart for a Coordinator like her."

"And me," added Valerie.

"Yes, but I don't like you very much, even more so than I don't like May," replied Jahan.

"Oh, you're just angry because I beat you at the Lake," mentioned Valerie.

Back in the battlefield, Wartortle jumped out of the way of another Ice Fang. He was ready to give Walrein another Aqua Tail, but he suddenly slipped on the ice, falling on his face. "_Perfect!_" thought Pryce. "Walrein, use Body Slam!"

Walrein then suddenly jumped up into the air. Wartortle yelped as Walrein's shadow loomed overheard. Walrein landed right on Wartortle and both Pokémon crashed through the ice into the water below. "Wartortle!" May shouted, worriedly.

"Ha-ha, excellent!" cheered Valerie. "Good show, Mister Pryce!"

Everything was silent. Neither Wartortle nor Walrein had resurfaced yet and May continued worry. Pryce, on the other hand, felt confident in his Pokémon. "Wartortle, can you hear me?" May asked.

She didn't receive answer. Drew leaned forward to try to find Wartortle. "Oh no, this isn't good," commented Drew.

"Relax," replied Jahan. "Wartortle's a Water-type Pokémon. He'll be fine in the water."

Wartortle suddenly resurfaced from the water. "Wartortle, you're okay!" May shouted, relieved.

Wartortle dragged himself onto one of the floating ice platforms. He tried his best to retain his composure but his whole body shivered as he made his way out of the water. "_T-T-That water's c-c-c-cold,_" he stammered.

"Is it?" May asked.

May slowly stepped forward, kneeled down, and placed her hand in the water. She immediately snapped it back once she felt the bone-chilling water. "Oh my!" she exclaimed. "That is cold!"

"Cold indeed," said Pryce, "29 degrees Fahrenheit to be exact, just a little above freezing. Normal Water-type Pokémon cannot stand the freezing temperatures. But Walrein's blubber allows him to withstand the cold and stay in the water for as long as he wants."

May looked into the water. She could barely make out Walrein in the water as he swam around below. Wartortle tried to stand on his feet. "_I'm not going back in there,_" he said, as he tried to regain feeling in his body. "_If you think I'm going to freeze my tail off fighting that fat tub of lard, you thought wrong_."

"Don't worry Wartortle," assured May. "We'll just battle on the surface. Walrein has to come up eventually. He can't stay down there for long."

"True," replied Pryce. "But trust me. Once Walrein comes back up the surface, you're going to wish he stayed in the water. Now Walrein, use Body Slam!"

Wartortle back onto his feet and frantically ran around his ice platform. He looked around, trying to figure out Walrein's location. Suddenly, May saw Walrein coming up from underneath Wartortle. "Wartortle, get off the platform! Hurry!' she ordered.

Wartortle jumped onto another platform just as Walrein broke through the ice from underneath. Walrein then tried to jump on Wartortle. Wartortle swiftly jumped another ice platform. Walrein missed his Body Slam, but he destroyed the ice platform Wartortle was on. "Use Body Slam again, Walrein!" commanded Pryce.

Walrein continued using Body Slam on Wartortle. Wartortle would always jump onto another platform before Walrein landed on him, but each time he did, the ice platform he was on before would break away once Walrein used Body Slam.

Eventually, Walrein had destroyed all ice platforms in the gym. Wartortle remained on the only platform still left intact. Walrein then jumped onto the ice platform. Wartortle had nowhere to run! Pryce smiled as Walrein inched closer and closer towards Wartortle. Walrein glared at Wartortle and smirked. He had just corned his prey. "_Oh, this isn't good_," worried Wartortle.

"Ha-ha!" laughed Valerie. "You're finished now, May! Your fifteen minutes of fame are over!"

"She's not done yet!" snapped Drew.

"Well, I don't see how May could get out of this," replied Valerie.

"She'll find a way," replied Drew.

"You're finished, May!" boasted Pryce. He then took out and put on a pair of skiing goggles. "Walrein, use Sheer Cold!"

"No, she's done for," said Jahan.

Walrein's entire body glowed brightly. Walrein harassed every bit of energy and power left in his body. Wartortle continued watching in honor as Walrein's eyes glowed bright blue.

Suddenly, Walrein let out a furious roar. He unleashed a powerful blue energy wave that kicked up a monstrous amount of snow into the air and brought a beyond bone-chilling wind into the gym. Soon, a ferocious arctic storm had taken over the entire gym, like a cyclone that blew everything around the gym. Everyone covered their faces as the mini hurricane threw snow and ice cold water into their faces. "Hang on, Mistress!" Harold shouted to Valerie.

Drew and Jahan struggled to hold onto their seats and protect themselves from the unforgiving storm.

May stood her ground, trying hard not to let the wind push her off her feet. She could hardly make out anything on the battlefield, except for the Walrein creating this mini-blizzard and her Pokémon barely clinging on for dear life. "WARTORTLE!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

All of a sudden, an explosion occurred in the gym. Everything went white.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

From the outside of the gym, a young man local to the town was walking past the gym, on his way to his home. Just then, he covered his arms as he felt something chilling in the air.

He turned to the gym and noticed cold bursts of air escaping from the windows of the gym and through the creaks of the doors. "Oh dear, another one, huh?" he asked himself. "I hate to be whoever's in there."

He then continued on his way.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Back inside the gym, everything had calmed down. The wind died down and only a few snowflakes remained floating in the air. The only noise heard was the air condition piping in more cold air into the gym. Walrein panted after using Sheer Cold. He looked all around him and saw that his Sheer Cold had nearly frozen everything. A blanket of snow had completely buried May's legs. Everybody's front sides were covered in ice and snow.

"Miss Valerie, are you...are you alright?" asked Harold, frozen, but concerned about Valerie.

"I think I'm quite unharmed," answered Valerie. She began to shake the snow off her face and her clothes. Fortunately, thanks to her wearing heavy clothing, she only had to shake off the snow.

Valerie then turned to the men sitting besides her. Unfortunately, Drew and Jahan weren't so lucky. They were completely buried under the snow, too cold to make a move. Valerie only smirked. "Sure glad I brought a jacket," taunted Valerie, as she brushed the snow off her sleeves.

"I…h-h-hate this...g-g-g-gym," muttered Jahan.

Pryce himself were covered head-to-toe in snow. He took a deep breath through his nose and exhaled. "Ah! I love that cold air," Pryce said. "It's like sniffing the inside of an ice cream freezer, but only ten times better. Don't you agree, Walrein?"

Walrein nodded his head. Pryce then took off his goggles and shook the snow off his body. "Although, I think the Sheer Cold may have been a little bit overkill," added Pryce.

May couldn't say anything. She covered her arms and crossed her legs as she tried to retain her body heat. The snow around her legs made them quiver.

"Unfortunately, for you May," continued Pryce. "Sheer Cold's a one hit knockout attack! No Pokémon, and I mean **no **Pokémon have been able to withstand Sheer Cold."

May then gasped as she remembered seeing Wartortle blown away by the Sheer Cold. "W-W-Wartortle," she breathed, quietly. "Wartortle, are you...o-o-okay?"

Walrein only chuckled. "_I guess the puny little Wartortle was no challenge after all!_" taunted Walrein. "_All talk, no walk._"

Pryce turned to the referee (who was also plastered with snow, but wore a heavy jacket). "Call it," he ordered.

The referee nodded his head. He raised his flags up, but May suddenly stopped him. "No!" shouted May. "Wartortle's not done yet!"

"_Face it, girly_!" Walrein said. "_Your Pokémon is no more. I haven't met anyone who managed to resist Sheer Cold._"

"Until, I s-s-s-see Wartortle's b-b-b-body, this round...is not...o-o-o-over!" shivered May.

Walrein only scoffed at May. He stumbled over to the last place he saw Wartortle. Using his tusks, he poked around in the snow, trying to find Wartortle's body. Walrein grew concerned as his search turned up nothing. "_Huh...where did puny Pokémon go?_" he asked. Walrein continued using his tusks to search the pile of snow for any sign of Wartortle.

Then, he felt something. "_Huh?_" Walrein asked. He looked down into the snow. He could barely make out a brown shell and blue pointy ears. He leaned in closer to examine it more carefully.

Suddenly, Wartortle popped out from underneath the snow, surprising everybody in the gym. "WHAT?" Pryce asked, shocked. "He survived Sheer Cold?"

Walrein was momentarily blinded by the snow thrown up into his face. Wartortle delivered a hellish Aqua tail attack to Walrein's head. Everyone gasped as the attack made contact. The water spiraling around Wartortle's tail looked more like a high-power geyser. It looked like as if the attack did some serious damage to Walrein's skull.

Wartortle then jumped backwards and landed on his feet in the snow. Everyone watched in suspense as Walrein remained where he was, his head hunched down and his eyes closed. Meanwhile, Wartortle took several deep breaths. Clearly, Sheer Cold did a number on him as well.

Finally, after minutes of nothing happening, Walrein lost consciousness. Everyone's mouths dropped as he fell into the snow pile beside him, fainted and unable to fight any longer. "I...I don't believe this," Valerie said, meekly.

Wartortle continued panting, but at the same time, he smirked as he watched the fallen Walrein lying firmly in the snow. "_Who's puny now?_" he asked, boastfully.

But then, Wartortle lost consciousness as well. He fainted and fell face-first into the snow. He no longer had any energy to continue the battle.

"Wartortle!" called out May.

The referee looked at the two fallen Pokémon in the center of the snowy battlefield. None of the two showed any signs of consciousness. He raised both of his flags up. "Neither Walrein nor Wartortle can continue with the battle!" he announced. "This round is a draw!"

"Walrein..." Pryce muttered under his breath. "I never thought that a Pokémon like Wartortle could defeat you."

May was too cold to say anything. Instead, she kept everything in her mind. "_Wow...even after a move like Sheer Cold, Wartortle can still land one last attack!_" she thought. "_He may run his mouth a lot, but there's no doubt that he'll put up a fight until the very end. Thank you Wartortle!_"

Both Pokémon retreated into their Poké Balls. May slowly turned to the equally cold and frozen Drew, who sat in the stands. She only pumped her fist up into the air, which Drew replied by smiling and slowly putting up a thumbs-up.

Valerie rolled her eyes as she watched the shivering Drew and May. "Excuse me, Mister Pryce," called Valerie. "Might I suggest you do something about these poor frozen souls? I would hate for you to be responsible for everyone catching a cold."

Valerie turned towards Drew and Jahan, who glared at her. "What?" she asked, angrily. "I mean "poor" as in "unfortunate," not in regards to your probable wealth status."

Pryce looked at Drew, Jahan, and May. All three of them looked as if they were going to freeze to death at any moment. "Oh alright!" he agreed. He reached into his pockets, took out a remote control, and pressed a button.

Immediately, the air-conditioning units powered down and the heaters kicked in. In addition, a collection of hidden gas lamps hanging around the gym turned on. Heat began to fill up the gym and replaced the cold air that previously hung around. Eventually, some of the snow and ice around the gym melted and everyone began to feel warm again. They all let out a sigh of relief as they slowly regained feeling in their limbs. "Ah...so much better," sighed Drew.

Jahan was also relieved that the cold was disappearing. He turned towards Valerie, who only smiled at him. "You're welcome," she taunted. Jahan glared at her, but Valerie disregarded it and turned her attention back to the battlefield.

Suddenly, a snowball was thrown at her head. She quickly turned back to Jahan, who acted innocently. "What?" he asked. He then pointed to Drew. "He did it."

"Throwing snowballs, how very mature," scolded Valerie.

**0o0o0o0 TO BE CONTINUED... o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: And there's the second part of May vs. Pryce! Probably the biggest problem I had for this round was trying to figure out how to change the battlefield from ice-cold water back to what it was when the battle started (for Quilava). Hopefully, you all enjoyed it!

And I hope everyone is enjoying _Pokémon Black and White _(I have yet to obtain my copy)!

**NEXT TIME: **It all comes down to this! This is the final round of the battle! It's May's Quilava battling against Pryce's Mamoswine! Thankfully, the battlefield is all snow now, so Quilava can battle without the worry of drowning. Now all she has to fear is Mamoswine, who is an offensive powerhouse. Can Quilava defeat the wolly behemoth and win May her Glacier Badge?

Find out in the red-hot conclusion of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	28. May VS Pryce! Part Three

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By MisterAnimeFan

REVIEW REPLIES:

**DawnAngel14:** Well, in Glaceon's defense, she hadn't been used in any battles or contests. She just wanted to participate somehow. And (as of now) you will see Solidad and Valerie battle each other in a contest. Just keep in mind, there's a reason why Valerie made it to the finals in the last contest.

**drake22ice: **Thanks! You're right, I think I did word the Sheer Cold scene weird.

**FearTheSquirrel:** I think by this point, the Pokémon Company could care less about Johto or the previous generations. Still, that would be pretty cool.

**Linda Chicana: **Well...we'll see about that.

**LoveLoverGrl:** You're not the first one to say that. But I think with the release of _Pokémon: Black & White_, the guys behind Pokémon could care less about Johto at this point.

**Mistress yume:** Thanks! Glad you liked the story so far!

I meant to get this out sooner, but schoolwork got in the way. But let's not waste anymore time! Here's the finale of May's second gym battle!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Quilava (Flamethrower, Flame Wheel, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Glaceon (Ice Shard, Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

Vespiquen (Power Gem, Toxic, Fury Cutter)

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

_**LAST TIME...**_

_May's Quilava had taken care of Pryce's Froslass, but Pryce fought back with his Walrein. Not only was Walrein's power and size a problem, but the ice on battlefield had broken, creating a pool of water. May quickly retreated Quilava back into her Poké Ball and sent out Wartortle to battle Walrein._

_Thus, Round Three began! Wartortle tried using Water Gun and Ice Beam against Walrein, but they had little effect. Walrein retaliated with Body Slam and then a Water Pulse, both attacks doing incredible damage to Wartortle. But Wartortle fought back with an Aqua Tail to his head!_

_The battle continued with the momentum shifting between the two Pokémon. The battle ended once Walrein had cornered Wartortle and used the mighty and powerful Sheer Cold, which froze everything and everyone in the gym._

_After everything settled down, Walrein assumed that Wartortle had been defeated. But Wartortle suddenly pops out from underneath the snow and delivers one final Aqua Tail attack to Walrein. Afterwards, both Pokémon fall to the ground, unconscious and unable to continue with battling._

_Now it's the final round! May and Pryce each only have one Pokémon left. May still has Quilava in her reserve, but what does Pryce have in store?_

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Mahogany Town Gym**

May sighed as the heaters in the gym began melting away the snow at her feet and replacing the chilly air with humidity. "Alright, that's enough of that," Pryce said, shutting off the heaters. He then turned to May. "You feel better now?" he asked.

"A little," replied May.

May looked at the battlefield in front of her. Despite the humid conditions, seven inches of snow still covered the battlefield. May looked across to Pryce who looked right back at her. "I have to hand it to you May," he said. "That was quite a comeback from your Pokémon. I've never seen a Pokémon withstand a Sheer Cold attack before. That Wartortle of yours really put up quite a fight."

"Thanks, Walrein wasn't too bad either," replied May. "For a second, I thought Wartortle was really done for."

"You thought Walrein was powerful, you have seen anything yet."

Pryce then took out his last Poké Ball. "Go, Mamoswine!" he shouted, as he threw the Poké Ball up into the air. It opened up and a large behemoth of a Pokémon appeared on the field. Much like Walrein, Mamoswine was huge, with large tusks and brown fur all over. He had a white and rim around his eyes, creating sort of a mask and a pig-like snout nose.

Everyone gasped at how large Mamoswine was. May took out her PokéDex and looked it up.

**Mamoswine**

**The Twin Tusk Pokémon**

**With its impressive tusks made of ice, the population of Mamoswine flourished during the ice age 10,000 years ago. But once the world turned warm, the population thinned.**

"10,000 years?" May asked, surprised. "Wow...that is one old Pokémon."

"Maybe so, but don't let age fool you May," warned Pryce. "Mamoswine's just as big of a powerhouse as Walrein, maybe even more than him."

She then looked back at the Mamoswine across from her. He flared its nostrils and dug his hooves into the snow. "Aw...a fine specimen that Mamoswine is!" Valerie commented. "Look at him! He's not intimidated in the least bit! Look at the way he glares at his opponent, as if fighting anything weaker than him is an inconvenience! Clearly, Pryce has raised him well!"

Jahan was looking for something to say to Valerie, but Drew examined the Mamoswine carefully. He then remembered something. When he and May were trapped back at the Ice Path, Pryce rescued them with his Piloswine. After connecting two and two together, Drew then made the realization.

"May!" he shouted, getting out of his seat. "Remember when Pryce rescued us in the Ice Path?"

"Yeah, I do remember that," May shouted back. "Why do you ask?"

May then turned back to the Mamoswine...and came to the same conclusion Drew realized. "Wait...you're not seriously telling that...that's the same Piloswine, is it?"

"Yes May," answered Pryce. "This is, in fact, the same Piloswine that rescued you from the Ice Path. However, as you can see, Piloswine has evolved into a more powerful form."

May and Drew were stunned. They both looked at the Mamoswine, still trying to fathom the idea that Piloswine evolved.

Suddenly, Valerie began laughing. She clutched her ribs as she tried to contain herself. "What's so funny?" Drew asked, angrily.

"Oh, how rich!" she remarked. "This is too good to be true. This is _**the**_ definition of irony. The Pokémon that saved May's life just a mere few days ago is now going to deliver her utter humiliation and defeat."

"That's what you think!" snapped May.

May then threw the Poké Ball up into the air. "Alright, Quilava! Let's go!" she shouted.

The Poké Ball opened and Quilava jumped out onto the battlefield. Quilava looked up and saw that the battlefield has changed since she was last sent out. "_Hey, wasn't this gym a pool of water last time I was out?_" Quilava asked.

"Listen Quilava," May said. "I'm counting on you! You're the only Pokémon left on my side...and this is the last round! You have to win!"

"_Don't worry, May!_" assured Quilava. "_I'll beat him and win you your badge! I promise._"

Mamoswine said nothing. He only flared his nostrils as he stared at his opponent.

"This is the final round of this battle!" announced the referee. "Neither Pryce or May have any more Pokémon in reserve. The winner of this round will be declared the winner of the battle."

The referee then raised both of his flags in the air."_**Final round: Quilava vs. Mamoswine...begin!**_"

"Mamoswine, use AncientPower!" ordered Pryce.

Mamoswine roared as its body glowed white. A ball of energy formed at the tips of its tusks. He then quickly shot it towards Quilava. "Quilava, use Dig!" May shouted.

Quilava wasted no time burrowing through the snow, avoiding Mamoswine's attack. Mamoswine eyed the battlefield carefully, guessing where Quilava may emerge. "Now Quilava, use Flame Wheel!" ordered May.

Quilava suddenly popped out from underneath the snow as a huge rolling ball of fire and rammed right in between Mamoswine's eyes. Everyone gasped as the force of Quilava's attack slid Mamoswine back a few feet. "Whoa! Nice shot!" commented Jahan.

Quilava landed on her feet in front of a stunned Mamoswine. "Now Quilava, use Flamethrower!" May shouted.

"Mamoswine, use Blizzard!" barked Pryce.

Quilava blew a huge stream of fire towards Mamoswine. At the same time, Mamoswine quickly recovered from the Flame Wheel and blew a ferocious Blizzard attack at Quilava. It was so powerful that it cancelled out Quilava's Flamethrower to everyone's surprise. Quilava tumbled backwards as the icy wind and snowballs pelted her face and front side. "Now, follow it up with AncientPower!"

Mamoswine began forming another ball of energy in between his dusks.

May watched as Quilava shook her head and stumbled back onto her feet. "Come on Quilava! Pull yourself together!" she egged on. Mamoswine fired the AncientPower towards Quilava. Quilava quickly rolled out of the way. "Alright!" cheered Drew. "Go Quilava!"

"Come on Pryce! Show no mercy!" shouted Valerie.

"Mamoswine, use Blizzard!" commanded Pryce. Immediately, Mamoswine opened its mouth and began to store up power. "Quilava, hurray and use Sunny Day now!" May shouted.

Quilava opened her mouth and fired a ball of light out one of the gym windows. Immediately, the sun's rays intensified and the gym warmed up (much to Jahan's pleasure). Mamoswine unleashed his Blizzard attack at Quilava. However, the heat from Sunny Day melted the attack before it made impact with Quilava.

May and Quilava smirked as Mamoswine stood in place, indifferent to what happened. "Ha!" boasted May. "What are you going to do now, Pryce? With Sunny Day in effect, Mamoswine's Ice attacks are useless!"

Flames then erupted on Quilava's back. "In addition, Quilava's Fire-type attacks are powered-up!" added May. "I guess Mamoswine isn't the powerhouse you say he is."

"Watch your tongue May," warned Jahan. "It's never a good idea to insult a gym leader."

"Indeed it isn't," agreed Pryce.

May only scoffed the advice. "Quilava, use Dig!" ordered May.

Quilava dived into the snow and burrowed her way under. Pryce and Mamoswine watched the battlefield as they saw snow pushed aside as Quilava dug. Pryce only chuckled.

"I don't like the way Pryce is laughing," commented Drew.

"I warned her," groaned Jahan.

"Come on May," Pryce said, in a sly tone of voice. "Did you think you could beat Mamoswine that easily?"

Pryce then turned his attention to Mamoswine. "Mamoswine...use Earthquake!" he ordered, confidently.

"What? Oh no!" gasped May.

Mamoswine got onto his hind legs and then brought down his front two legs with impeccable force. Powerful shock waves flowed though the ground under the snow, breaking the earth floor and shaking the entire building.

Drew, Jahan, Valerie, and Harold quickly grabbed hold of their seats as the bleaches they sat on swayed and lurched. May squatted down to try to keep her balance. She watched the battlefield, looking for Quilava.

Eventually, the tremor died down and the shaking ceased. The environment of the battlefield had been completely changed. All of the snow had been pushed aside, revealing a terrified Quilava. She stood in the snow only a few feet from May's side of the field, trembling in fear at Mamoswine's incredible strength. Mamoswine smirked, the first facial expression he has made since the start of the battle. "Now Mamoswine, use Rock Climb!" Pryce shouted.

Mamoswine raised his front legs up again and slammed them into the ground. The ground shook again, this time not as strong as Earthquake.

Suddenly, the ground split beneath Quilava and a giant mountain protruded from the ground, lifting Quilava up high towards the ceiling of the gym. The mountain was very tall, about hallway towards touching the ceiling. It had a narrow point at the top and a curved bottom, creating almost like a skateboard ramp.

Everyone gasped as Quilava stood high up on the narrow tip of the created mountain. She couldn't run anywhere. "Hold on, Quilava!" shouted May. She could barely see what was happening.

But Mamoswine wasn't finished yet. Mamoswine's thick claws grew out by another foot. He then charged at the base of the mountain. His now-extended claws helped him climb the rugged earth. He ran up the mountain, heading towards Quilava. "Quilava, hurry and doge it!" May shouted.

Quilava panicked. She looked all around her for anyway to get down safely, but it was no good. Mamoswine rammed into Quilava, sending her flying up towards the ceiling! "Quilava, no!" May shouted, worriedly.

Quilava flew until she crashed into the gym ceiling face-first. Everyone winced as they heard Quilava smack against the ceiling. Quilava remained stuck to the ceiling, as if the ceiling was laced with glue. "_Ow..._" she squeaked, meekly.

"That's it, she's done," remarked Jahan.

"It's a pity, really," added Valerie.

May watched as Quilava peeled off the ceiling and began falling to the ground. "_Oh no, Quilava can't survive a fall like that!_" she thought, worriedly. "_There's got to be something we can do._"

May quickly hesitated, but she then thought of an idea. "Quilava, use Flamethrower!" she shouted.

Quilava quickly reoriented her body so that she was facing Mamoswine, who was right underneath her. She then blew an intense Flamethrower at Mamoswine. Quilava landed her feet but kept the Flamethrower going. And since Sunny Day was in effect, the attack was even more powerful than it would be normally. Mamoswine stood his ground, enduring the pain. The snow around his feet melted. His brown fur began to turn dark as the Flamethrower burned each strand.

When the attack was finished, Mamoswine's fur looked very burnt. Mamoswine had his eyes shut. His body winced in agony. "Mamoswine, are you alright?" Pryce asked, worriedly.

Mamoswine shook off the burn, glared at Quilava, and snorted hoarsely. "Mamoswine, are you sure you can continue with the battle?" asked Pryce.

Mamoswine only dug his claws into the snow, like a bull ready to charge. Pryce smiled. "That's right, Mamoswine!" cheered Pryce. "You may be burned, but you're not finished yet! Use AncientPower!"

"Quilava, dodge and use Flame Wheel!" ordered May.

Mamoswine launched an AncientPower attack at Quilava, who quickly rolled out of the way. She then turned into a huge rolling ball of fire and charged at Mamoswine. "Mamoswine, use Rock Climb!"

"Dodge it, Quilava!"

Mamoswine slammed his feet into the ground, but Quilava quickly jumped out of the way before she was caught by another mountain.

The battle continued on with Quilava and Mamoswine firing Flamethrower and AncientPower attacks at each other. Occasionally, Mamoswine would try to use Earthquake or Rock Climb, but Quilava would quickly stop him with a Flame Wheel or Flamethrower.

"Alright, Quilava!" cheered Drew, as he clapped for Quilava. "Don't let up! Don't give Mamoswine any openings!"

Drew then turned back towards the other spectators watching the battle with him. Both were still stunned and couldn't accept the fact that Quilava would still be standing after a fall like that. "It appears I may have underestimated May," Valerie said.

"Indeed you did," Drew replied, happily. "When the going gets tough, May and her Pokémon will pull out all of the stops to win."

"Then why didn't do that when they were battling against me and my Pokémon," remarked Valerie.

"Umm...well...that was a different story," Drew muttered quietly. "You caught her on a bad day."

Jahan only snickered as Drew sat back down in his seat. Just then, Valerie turned her attention off the battle and towards Jahan and Drew. "Hmmm..." she pondered.

"What is it?" Jahan asked.

"I just realized that even though you're May's boyfriend, Drew is more supportive of her than you are," she theorized.

"Huh?" Drew asked.

"For the last time, I'm not her boyfriend," denied Jahan.

"Right, sure you aren't," replied Valerie, not buying anything Jahan says.

"I'm not," Jahan said again.

"Yeah, May and Jahan practically hate each other," chimed in Drew.

"Which is why Jahan rescued May and helped escort her to the Pokémon Center," mentioned Valerie.

"That was a one time thing," argued Jahan. "Didn't I explain everything to you?"

"Look Jahan, I'm on to you and May's game!"

"What game? We're...I mean I'm not part of any game. If anything, this guy (points to Drew) is."

"No I'm not," denied Drew.

"Sure you are. Why else would you be May's personal cheerleader?" Jahan asked.

"I'm not her personal cheerleader. I just want to see her win."

"And that's why you hugged her in her room a couple of days ago," mentioned Jahan.

Immediately, Drew froze and his face flushed. "That's right, I know what you two were doing," smirked Jahan.

"What's this I'm hearing now?" Valerie asked, curious.

"Just shut up and watch the battle," Drew muttered, quietly.

Jahan let out a chuckle and turned to Valerie. "I told you he loves her," Jahan said.

Valerie looked at Jahan...then at Drew...and then back at Jahan. "_So, he's in this conspiracy too, eh?_" she asked. "_So now both Drew and Jahan are conspiring against me! Oh May, you're crafty indeed!_"

Back on the battlefield, Mamoswine shot another AncientPower at Quilava, but she quickly dodged it and readied another Flame Wheel. She charged towards Mamoswine, but Mamoswine quickly countered with an AncientPower attack, a direct hit to Quilava. Quilava fumbled out of the Flame Wheel, but she then used Dig to...well...dig through the snow. Mamoswine tried to stop her with Rock Climb, but Quilava quickly used another Flame Wheel, giving Mamoswine more burns on his fur and body.

Mamoswine stumbled backwards, burned and dazed. "Mamoswine, are you alright?" Pryce asked. Mamoswine didn't respond. He was still standing, but he was badly burned and battered. He really didn't look like he would last another minute.

May and Quilava smiled as they watched Mamoswine try to regain his focus. "Alright Quilava, let's finish this, use Flamethrower!" commanded May.

"Mamoswine, stop Quilava with Earthquake!" ordered Pryce.

Mamoswine slammed his feet into the snow, causing the ground to shake again. Quilava swayed and danced around as she tried to stay on her feet. Pryce watched as Quilava regained her stance. "_Quilava's down!_" he thought, frantically. "_Mamoswine's got to capitalize!_"

Pryce looked to his burned Pokémon. "Mamoswine, now's your chance! Use AncientPower!" he shouted. Mamoswine quickly shot another glowing ball at Quilava. Quilava was send flying back towards May. She tumbled a bit before landing on her stomach a few feet away from May's position. "Come on, Quilava!" cheered May. "We're almost there!"

Quilava slowly pushed herself off the ground. She was breathing heavily as her body ached all over. Nonetheless, she fought the pain and got back onto her knees. "May, are you sure you want to continue battling?" asked Pryce. "It doesn't look like Quilava has much left in her."

"Of course I'll keep battling!" replied May. "Quilava's still has some fight left in her."

Quilava backed May's words up by getting to her feet and glaring at Mamoswine.

Suddenly, the sunlight began to die down and returned to normal. "Oh no," gasped May.

"_This...isn't good,_" panted Quilava.

"Well May, looks like Sunny Day has wore off," observed Pryce, "which means that Quilava's fire-type attacks are no longer powered-up. That's bad news for you but good news for me and Mamoswine."

Mamoswine tried his best to stand his ground and act intimidating, but like Quilava, his breathing was heavy and labored. "I don't know Pryce," commented May. "Mamoswine looks like he's running on fumes now."

"Oh, but fumes is really all he needs!" Pryce said. "Now Mamoswine, use Blizzard and cover Quilava in snow!"

Mamoswine opened his mouth and launched a Blizzard attack at Quilava. Quilava was pelted with and buried in high-speed snowballs. Quilava only shrugged the attack off, but it clearly took a toll on her. "Let's end this battle quickly! Use Rock Climb!" Pryce shouted.

Mamoswine slammed his two front feet into the ground. Another mountain protruded from the ground and lifted Quilava up high towards the ceiling. Valerie smiled as she saw Quilava perched on top of the narrow peak. "I like to see Quilava try to shake off another one of these," she sneered.

May watched anxiously as Mamoswine grew his hooves out, ready to charge up the mountain. May carefully examined the mountain, trying to formulate a plan. At last, she came up with something. "Quilava, run down the mountain and use Flame Wheel!" she shouted, loud enough for Quilava to hear.

Quilava looked down the steep slope and saw Mamoswine charging up the bottom slope. Although a bit scared of the steepness of the rugged terrain, Quilava got to her feet and ran down the side of the mountain. She stumbled a bit as she gained a lot of speed running down the mountain. She curled up and turned into a rolling ball of fire, gaining momentum and speed. Mamoswine saw it coming, but refused to change paths or stop his attack. He surged ahead.

The two Pokémon collided headfirst into each other halfway down the mountain! The impact kicked up a lot of dirt and smoke. Everyone shut their eyes as small pebbles and other debris flew into the stands.

Mamoswine's head butt sent Quilava flying into the air, but Quilava's Flame Wheel knocked Mamoswine unconscious. Both Pokémon tumbled their way down the mountain, bashing against the rocks and hard ground on the way down.

"Quilava!"

"Mamoswine!"

When the two Pokémon reached the base of the mountain, they landed in the snow unconscious and physically exhausted. Neither Pokémon showed any signs of life. "Quilava, are you okay?" May asked, worriedly.

"Come on, Mamoswine!" cheered Pryce. "Get up!"

There was no response from either Pokémon. Jahan, Valerie, Drew, and Harold leaned over to see what was happening. "Come on Quilava," Drew muttered, quietly. "Do it for May."

The referee glanced over the two Pokémon. He was about to raise his flag, but he was interrupted when he heard Quilava groaning. Both Pokémon began stirring. Quilava was the first to stand up on her feet. Her breathed heavily as she looked at the fallen wooly behemoth.

"My goodness, is there really **anything** that can take down that Quilava?" complained Jahan.

"I call foul play!" shouted Valerie. "May's cheating...somehow."

May only glared at the two.

The referee looked at Mamoswine and saw that he still wasn't moving one bit. He was about to declare victory to May, but he was again interrupted when Mamoswine began stirring. A look of hope befell onto Jahan and Valerie's face. Mamoswine slowly picked himself off the ground and tried hard to get onto his feet. "_Come on Mamoswine, you can do it!_" thought Jahan.

Right when Mamoswine was about to straighten himself out, he fell sideways back into the snow, tired and defeated. Valerie and Jahan's mouth dropped as the referee raised his flag. "Mamoswine is unable to battle!" he shouted. "The winner of this battle: May from Petalburg City!"

"YES!" May shouted, happily.

Drew jumped out of his seat and began clapping for May. "Alright, May! You did it!" cheered Drew.

May looked towards the stands and smiled as she saw Drew clapping for her. Of course, she expected nothing but jeers from Jahan and Valerie. May turned back to the field and locked eyes with a very happy Quilava. The two smiled at each other for a moment before they ran through the snow and hugged each other. "Quilava, you did it! You won!" praised May.

"_It wasn't a draw this time! I'm so happy!_" sobbed Quilava, crying small tears of joy.

"I'm so proud of you, Quilava!"

May then reached into her pocket and took out the Poké Balls of Wartortle and Glaceon. "_I'm proud of you two as well,_" she thought. "_You two also worked hard to win this battle. For that, I'm grateful._"

"Sit down, you moron," Jahan scoffed at Drew. He pouted his lips as Drew ignored his demand. Jahan looked back at the battlefield. Mamoswine still lied unconscious in the snow. He then looked at May hugging her Quilava. As he watched their display of affection, his pout slowly turned to a half-smile. He then shrugged his shoulders and put his hands up. "Oh what the hey," he shrugged.

He got up from his seat and joined Drew as he began clapping for May as well, to the surprise of both Drew and May. "Not bad, May," he complimented.

Seeing everybody (even one-half of May's critics) cheering and clapping for her made Pryce smile. He slowly walked towards his fallen Mamoswine. He was beaten, exhausted, and burnt. Mamoswine cracked his eyes open. "_I'm sorry,_" he muttered, quietly.

"Don't worry about it," replied Pryce. "I suppose even juggernauts have their off days."

While the celebration continued, Valerie glared at May, angry at how the battle turned out. "_Enjoy your little "victory," May. You won't be so lucky in the contest!_"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Afterwards, everybody stepped outside of the cold gym and stood out front the main gate. The sun was still out, much to Jahan's happiness. He got down on his knees and held his arms up into the air, worshipping the sun. "I've taken you for granted," he cried, happily.

Ignoring Jahan's melodramatic act, Pryce and May stood face to face, with Drew, Valerie, and Harold standing nearby. No Pokémon were out. "May," began Pryce. "I'll be honest. When I heard that you defeated Clair, I felt a variety of emotions at the same time. I was curious about your battling skills, was anxious to see it in action, yet also a bit skeptic as to how someone who has very little experience with battling gym leaders could defeat me. A small part of me thought that you got lucky when you defeated Clair. It's good to be wrong sometimes."

Pryce then reached into his pocket and took out a snowflake-shaped metal badge. "Here," he said, offering it to May. "I am honored to award you with the official Glacier Badge of the Mahogany Town Gym. Congratulations."

May took the Glacier Badge from Pryce's hand and looked at it with astonishment. Drew, Pryce, and Harold then clapped for her once more. Valerie remained silent. "Thank you Pryce...for everything," May said to the elderly gym leader.

She then held the badge up high in the air. "At last...I'VE WON A GLACIER BADGE!" she shouted, happily.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: And we've reached the conclusion of May vs. Pryce. I hope you all enjoyed it. Next up is the Mahogany Town Contest!

I just want to bring up that it's been more than three years since I started working on "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles." When I started it back in April of 2008, I had no idea that it would attract this many people. I'm so happy that many of you take the time to read my fanfic and give feedback, whether good or bad.

Seriously, thank you guys so much...from the bottom of my heart! I promise that this story will be finished...even it takes me thirty more years! 3 3

**NEXT TIME: **Now that May has won her Glacier Badge, she can now focus on the upcoming Mahogany Town Contest. Unlike in Blackthorn City, she has a week before the contest, plenty of time for training and preparation. The only question is, who will May use for the contest?

Speaking of contests, Drew is also going to begin training for it. He brings his Roselia out from storage and...well let's just say she's not happy to have been sent to storage in the first place.

And despite May's praise, Glaceon still feels sad and humiliated about her loss against Pryce's Froslass. She begins to fall into depression as she wonders if she's really cut out for May's team.

Will anything cheer her up? Will May and Drew be ready by the time the contest comes around? And what other tricks does Valerie have up her sleeves?

Find out in the next addition of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	29. Cheer up, Glaceon!

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By MisterAnimeFan

REVIEW REPLIES:

**Arysd:** Don't worry, Glaceon will redeem herself eventually.

**FirePrincess251:** Don't worry. I plan to wrap this story up hopefully within the next few years. But I won't let it die.

**DeadlySilentAnimeLover:** You're BEYAWESMAZING for calling my story BEYAWESMAZING! Seriously though, thanks for the kind words. I'm glad that you like how I portray the characters. I do try to keep them in character as they were in the anime. And Jahan's name is pronounced like: "Ja" as in Ja-Rule, "Han" as in Han Solo (Ja-han). It sounds a lot like John, but with an "a" sound in the beginning. There was a guy with that same name on a message board I go to, and I thought that would be a great name to use.

**drake22ice:** Glaceon is a cool Eevee evolution, though Umbreon is still cooler. Don't worry, May will have three ribbons by the time the Wallace Cup comes around. As for Roselia evolving, I haven't decided yet when that will happen.

**Fangora the Dragon:** Thank you for the praise! I really wish I can update faster, but real life and school has to come first. Sorry, that's how it is.

**DawnAngel14: **Don't worry, the rematch will be different. And I won't stop. Don't worry.

Before we go onto the next chapter, I would like to thank RagingDragon04 and KurunaGirl for helping me out with the story by offering some great ideas and suggestions. Thanks!

And now that college finals are over, I can get back to working on this fic! Enjoy!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Quilava (Flamethrower, Flame Wheel, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Glaceon (Ice Shard, Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

Vespiquen (Power Gem, Toxic, Fury Cutter)

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LOCATION: Mahogany Town**

It was late at the night. The sun had set for the day and the moon took its place. After May had won her Glacier Badge from Pryce, May as well as Drew and Jahan went back to the town's Pokémon Center.

While Drew and Jahan were slouching in the seats in the lobby, May was in the back room with her Pokémon. Quilava, Glaceon, and Wartortle had to be healed after their battle against Pryce's Pokémon.

Glaceon and Quilava lied in beds, trying to rest peacefully. Glaceon felt sad as she remembered her embarrassing loss against Pryce's Froslass. She lost in only a few minutes, compared to Quilava and Wartortle.

Despite being hurt the most, Wartortle stood on his bed, boastfully telling the story of his battle to May's other Pokémon. Vespiquen, Munchlax, and Blaziken watched as Wartortle danced around, reenacting his battle. "_So there I was,_" he began. "_Face-to-face with the mammoth Walrein! And by 'mammoth," I mean more mammoth than Mamoswine! We're talking about 300 pounds of pure power...and fat. I tried throwing everything at him, but my attacks felt like pebbles being thrown at him. He body slammed the ice platform I was on, sending me flying in the air! And then he shot a Water Pulse at me while I was in the air!_"

"_Wow..._" gasped Munchlax.

"_He just pulverized me,_" continued Wartortle. "_But he didn't know about the true strength that I possessed within me. When he was about to give me another Body Slam, I jumped up and swung my tail at his head, giving him a nice Aqua Tail attack!_"

May only smiled as Wartortle enthusiastically told the rest of his story. "_And just when I had him right where I wanted him...BAM! He unleashes a furious snowstorm that threw me around and around the gym. He buried me four feet under a mountain of bone-chilling snow! But I didn't give up! I dug my way back up and gave Walrein one last Aqua Tail to the skull, knocking him out!_

"_Oh you made that up!_" accused Blaziken.

"_I'm telling you the truth!_" replied Wartortle. "_Ask May, she'll tell you!_"

"Wartortle did have quite a battle with Walrein," confirmed May. "And that is how Wartortle defeated Walrein."

"_See?_" Wartortle boasted. "_It's amazing. First I rescue everybody from the Ice Path, then I single-handedly defeat Team Galactic, and then I win May her Glacier Badge!_"

"_Oh please, if I'd been in that battle_," retorted Vespiquen. "_I could have easily defeated Pryce's Pokémon._"

"_I doubt that,_" Wartortle replied. "_Only I can take on something as powerful as Walrein! And before that, I was the one who took down Clair's Gabite_."

"_Oh, stop your boasting!_" snapped Quilava. "_Your battle ended in a draw. I actually won my battle!"_

"Come on guys," said May. "Let's not get into an argument about this. You three did a great job today against Pryce's Pokémon. I'm proud of all of you."

"_Even Glaceon?_" Wartortle asked.

Glaceon had her back turned towards everyone, clearly depressed and disappointed in herself. "Yes, even Glaceon," May said.

"_Why? She lost her battle!_" protested Wartortle.

"Wartortle," sighed May.

"_No really,"_ continued Glaceon."_I mean my battle may have ended in a draw, but at least I actually tried putting up a fight_."

"Wartortle," repeated May.

"_She didn't even last five minutes with Froslass_," continued Wartortle.

"_Wartortle, I'd stop if I were you,_" warned Munchlax.

"_If that were me, I would have finished that Froslass with only one attack_."

"That's enough Wartortle!" May shouted, angrily. "Glaceon put up a great battle, just like you and Quilava."

"_It's okay May,_" Glaceon muttered, quietly.

Everybody stopped and turned their attention to the small blue Pokémon's hospital bed. She had her back turned to everyone. "_You don't have to lie to me,_" she continued. "_I know I completely screwed up._"

"No Glaceon, don't say that!" May said.

"_But it's true! Out of the three Pokémon that you used during your battle, I was the worst! I couldn't even defeat a small Froslass._"

"Well...okay, maybe this battle didn't turn out as you and I hoped it would, but it's not the end of the world."

"_I just figured that once I evolved, I would be the best and most powerful Pokémon on your team,_" sulked Glaceon.

"_Sorry Glaceon, but that position has already been filled by me_," boasted Wartortle.

"_Will you shut up?"_ snapped Blaziken. He then punched the top of Wartortle's skull, producing a large, egg-shaped bump.

"Look Glaceon, you just need some more training. That's all," said May. "Even Quilava and Wartortle had to train for a little bit after they evolved."

"_Quilava told me that I would be stronger than her once I evolved,_" mentioned Glaceon.

"_I didn't say it was going to happen right away_," corrected Quilava.

"_So you lied to me?_" Glaceon asked, somewhat angrily.

"_Well...not necessarily,_" replied Quilava.

Glaceon refused to listen any further. She turned her head towards the wall and sulked some more. May felt sad as she watched Glaceon mournfully stare at the wall.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"A-choo!" sneezed Jahan.

"Catching a cold?" Drew asked.

"I'm surprised that you're not," replied Jahan.

"Oh trust me, I still feel miserable," groaned Drew.

Drew and Jahan had plopped themselves into the seats in the lobby, exhausted, tired, and cold. "Oh man, what a day," groaned Jahan.

"My hair still feels like it's frozen," complained Drew.

"Would it kill Pryce to put up a sign in front of his gym that read "_Warning: Gym is very cold! Wear warm clothing!_"?" asked Jahan.

"At least you know now."

"Oh don't worry. I'm going to spend the next few days training for Pryce. Watching May's battle has given me some insight as to how Pryce battles. I'll use Infernape for his Mamoswine and Froslass and for Walrein, I'll have Luxray take care of him."

"But what if Pryce switches some of his Pokémon around? I'm sure gym leaders do that to keep trainers on their toes."

"Oh what do you know about gym leaders?"

Drew let out a frustrated sigh. Jahan then put his feet up on the table and leaned back in his seat. Drew glared at him, but Jahan took no notice. "So," Jahan said, breaking the silence. "The next Pokémon Contest is right here, correct?"

"Yes it is," answered Drew. "But the contest won't be until next week."

"That girl Valerie is going to be in that contest too, right?" Jahan asked.

"Yes, she's a coordinator like me and May, which means she'll be in every contest we're in."

"I heard that she battled against May in the last contest. And May didn't do so good."

Drew didn't give Jahan an answer. Instead, he answered his question with another question. "When were you so interested in contests?" he asked.

"I'm not," replied Jahan. "But if what you said about Valerie is true, then seeing her against May might be a contest battle I want to see."

"Yeah? And who do you want to win, May or Valerie?"

"It doesn't really matter to me. As long as somebody gets brutally crushed, I'll be happy."

"But if you had to choose between Valerie or May, who would you root for?"

Jahan was silent for a moment. "If I had to choose between one of the two..." he pondered. He shut his eyes and thought hard about his answer. "I guess I would want May to win," he finally answered.

"Really?" Drew asked, surprised. "Why May?"

"Well it's not because I like her or anything. It's just that between her and the rich girl, she's the lesser of two evils."

"Oh...I see."

Drew then snorted. "I think I better turn in early tonight," he said.

"Yeah, you do that," replied Jahan.

"You're going to stay down here?"

"For a little while longer."

Drew got up from his seat and began walking towards the stairs. However, he quickly stopped and turned back to Jahan. "You shouldn't lean back in your seat," warned Drew.

"What are you going to do about?" Jahan replied, harshly.

Then, one of the back legs of his chair slipped and Jahan fell backwards onto the ground. Drew only snickered as Jahan lied on the floor in pain. "Well...nothing now," taunted Drew.

Jahan grunted as he picked himself up from the ground. Drew walked up the stairs up to his room.

Minutes later, May emerged from the Pokémon Healing Room and walked out into the lobby. She looked around and saw Jahan sitting at the table. She waved to him. "Oh Jahan...you're still here?" asked May.

"Why? You don't want me around?" asked Jahan.

"Oh no, I just thought that you would be in bed by now."

"Nah, but Drew is already calling it a day. He thinks he may be coming down with something after being in Pryce's gym."

Before May could say anything, she let out a small sneeze. "Sounds like you're catching a cold too," remarked Jahan. "It figures. A coordinator can defeat a gym leader, but you can't fight off a cold."

Then, Jahan let out a loud sneeze. May only smirked as Jahan wiped his nose. "Sounds like you're catching a cold as well," she taunted.

"Am not," replied Jahan.

Just then, Valerie walked into the Pokémon Center lobby. May and Jahan stopped and turned to her. The two of them immediately grew angry. "Oh great, it's you," sneered Jahan.

"My apologies," replied Valerie. "Did I get in between your little love quarrel?"

"Love quarrel?" May asked. "Jahan and I are not lovers."

"I'm sure you aren't," Valerie said, sarcastically.

"Seriously, we're not," confirmed Jahan, angrily.

"Well, in any case, I wish to speak with May about something...alone," said Valerie. "So...yeah, go away."

She then motioned for Jahan to disappear. Jahan only glared at her, but he reluctantly decided to walk upstairs. "I was about to go to bed anyway," he muttered quietly.

Once Jahan reached the top of the stairs, Valerie turned her attention to May. "May, let's you and I sit down and talk," she said, happily.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

In the back room, all of May's injured Pokémon had fallen asleep...all except for Glaceon. Try as she might, she couldn't get to sleep. The memory of her losing to Froslass clouded her mind like a wide-awake nightmare. She shook her head and sighed. "_I think I'll take a walk,_" she thought. "_Maybe that'll clear my head a bit_."

Glaceon got onto her feet and jumped onto the door handle. She used her weight to pull the handle down and crack open the door. She landed softly on her feet and she stealthily walked out of the room.

Once she left the room, Wartortle began mumbling in his sleep.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**(Special thanks to RagingDragon04 for this idea)**

Eventually, morning arrived. Wartortle began stirring as he was waking up. He cracked his eyes open and sat up in his bed. He let out a loud yawn as he stretched his arms out. "_Morning everybody!_" he said. He got no reply.

He looked around and realized that he was by himself in the room. None of May's other Pokémon were with him. "_Hello?_" he asked. "_Is anyone here?_" He received no response. Instead, his voice only echoed creepily throughout the room. Wartortle jumped down from his bed and slowly made his way to the door of the healing room. "_They must be having breakfast right now_," he theorized.

He walked down the small hallway into the lobby. The lobby was empty. There were no people and no Pokémon. Wartortle was very confused and a bit afraid of the empty Pokémon Center lobby. "_Hello?_" he asked. "_Somebody? Anybody?_"

His voice only echoed throughout the empty Pokémon Center. "_Where is everybody?_" he asked out loud. His echo carried again. Wartortle cautiously looked around him, almost frightened by his own echo. "_Okay...this is starting to get a little scary,_" he muttered quietly. "_What is this? "Let's Ditch Wartortle" day?"_

Wartortle then noticed the front door of the Pokémon Center. He immediately calmed down. "_Silly me, they're probably outside_," thought Wartortle.

He then slowly made his way to the front door. As soon as he stepped outside the Pokémon Center, he covered his arms as he felt the cold wind blow in his face. The wind was very strong. Wartortle looked around and realized that he wasn't in Mahogany Town. With all the A/C vents and antennas, it looked as if Wartortle was on a rooftop. In addition, it was still dark. The sky was littered with small, bright stars. Wartortle walked carefully to the edge of the rooftop. He saw that he was on top of a large city skyscraper. He looked out and saw the city lit up with bright lights and neon signs. Wartortle began panicking as he looked down to the streets. He was very high up. "_What is this?_" he asked, frantically. "_Where am I? Where is everyone? Why am I here?_"

He looked back and forth, all around the rooftop. He caught a glimpse of a small, bright blue Pokémon on the other side of the rooftop. Wartortle squinted his eyes and realized that it was Glaceon. He smiled as he finally found a familiar face to him. "_Ah, Glaceon! Good!_" he sighed. "_Maybe she can tell me what's going on_."

Wartortle then ran over to where Glaceon was. "_Glaceon!_" He called out. "_Glaceon!_"

Glaceon finally turned around and looked at him. Wartortle then noticed that she was dangerously on the edge of the rooftop. "_Glaceon! What are you doing?_" he asked.

"_Don't come any closer!_" warned Glaceon. "_Don't try to stop me!_"

"_Stop you from what?_" asked Wartortle.

Glaceon only turned her head back towards the city and the ground. Wartortle grew worried. He knew what she was planning. "_You're...not really going to jump...are you?_" he asked. "_Glaceon, we're like 500 or 600 feet off the ground. If you jump, you're not going to survive!_"

"_I know,_" replied Glaceon. "_Maybe it's better if I didn't_."

"_What are you talking about?_"

Wartortle then frantically began looking around for anybody else. "_Where's May? Maybe she can talk some sense into you_."

"_It's alright,_" replied Glaceon. "_I'm doing this for May._"

"_What?_"

"_Wartortle, you're right. I am weak. Things will be better if I do this._"

"_That's not true!_"

Glaceon then prepared herself. "_Wait a minute...hold on! You're not even going to think about this for a moment?_"

Glaceon paid no attention. She ducked down and leaped herself off the edge, to Wartortle's horror and dismay. Wartortle ran as fast as he could from where she jumped to try and grab her, but it was no use. Wartortle watched as Glaceon plummeted to the ground. "NO!" he shouted.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Wartortle suddenly sat up in his bed, madly sweating and panting. He looked around him and saw that he was in his bed. May's other Pokémon slept in one of the corners of the room. He let out a sigh of relief. "_Thank goodness, it was only a dream_," he muttered, quietly. "_That was pretty scary though. But I should know better. Glaceon would never end her own life._"

He then lied back down in his bed and turned towards Glaceon's bed. His eyes popped when he saw that Glaceon had disappeared from her bed. He sat upright in his bed and looked around the room. Glaceon was nowhere to be seen. "_Oh no,_" he muttered, worriedly.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"So...what is it that you want to talk about?" May asked.

"I want to talk about your battle against Pryce," answered Valerie.

"Really? What did you think of the battle?"  
"It was...intriguing, at least on Pryce's part. The fact that you even won the battle still baffles me, but regardless of that, job well done on all of your Pokémon's part."

"Thank you?" May was unsure of whether that was a compliment or an insult. "So, is this just going to be a performance report or what?"

"Not necessarily," replied Valerie. "I also wanted to discuss the upcoming Mahogany Town Contest."

Valerie rose an eyebrow at May. "You do remember that there is a contest coming up, right?" she asked.

"Oh course I know!" snapped May.

"Just checking to make sure you weren't too pre-occupied with your publicity stunt."

"What I'm doing is not a publicity stunt. I want to show people that Coordinators can be just as strong as regular Pokémon trainers."

"Well then, if you could a beat gym leader like Clair and Pryce, then why couldn't you defeat me in our last contest?"

"That's because between the Blackthorn Contest and my battle with Clair, I didn't have any time to train my Pokémon."

"Well, this time you have a week to train your Pokémon. Of course, that will do you little good since you're going to lose to me anyway."

"Oh trust me, this time I'm going to beat you and win the Mahogany Town Ribbon. I now know what your Vaporeon is capable of."

"Who said I would be using Vaporeon in the Mahogany Contest? Who knows? I might use Flareon, or maybe Umbreon, then again Jolteon hasn't been in a contest for a while."

"I don't care what Pokémon you use. My Pokémon and I are going to defeat you!"

Valerie only snickered at May. "I'm sorry May," she apologized. "I just found that rather humorous." She then scooted closer to May, making May feel uncomfortable. "You seem to forget something," she said. "I am one of the best coordinators in the Johto region, if not **the** best coordinator in the Johto region. Since I started participating in Pokémon contest, approximately six months ago, I have **never** been beaten. And you why? All of my Eevee evolutions have been trained to be more powerful than any other Pokémon. I have come up with the most damaging combination of moves that nobody can ever match. So May, I am saying this to you right now, not as a rival coordinator, but as a caring individual, surrender now and pull out of the Grand Festival running. That is, unless you want to be sent home a disgraced Pokémon coordinator."

May only stared into Valerie's cold glare. Admittedly, Valerie's gaze frightened May a bit. May had never met someone as cold and menacing as Valerie. Regardless, May shook her head and put on a brave face. "Well then, I guess I'll be the first one," she said finally.

"To surrender immediately?" assumed Valerie.

"No, to beat you. I'm not going to quit just because you tell me to. Sure, you have beaten me last time, but this time will be a different story! By the end of the final round, I will be the one standing tall with the ribbon in one hand and my Pokémon in the other. You can go on and on about how great you are and how you never lost a single contest, but you know what they say, the bigger they are the harder they fall."

Valerie only snorted as she stood up from her seat. "Very well then, May," she said. "If you truly wish to embarrass yourself in front of everyone, then I suppose I won't stop you. But if you thought what Vaporeon did to your Blaziken was bad, then you haven't seen anything yet."

Valerie then let out a yawn. "But I have spoken with you long enough," she said. "Until next week, when you and I face each other in the contest, I bid you _adieu_!"

Valerie then headed to the front door of the Pokémon Center. May could only repeat the entire conversation in her head. With every thought, she grew more and more determined to win the next contest.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MEANWHILE...**

Wartortle, despite his body being sore all over, went upstairs to look for Glaceon. He had searched for the blue Pokémon after she left the healing room. He frantically searched downstairs and found nothing. "_Glaceon...Glaceon! Where are you?_" he called out. There was no reply. Wartortle scratched his head, wracking his brain trying to figure out Glaceon's whereabouts. "_Where did she go?_" he asked himself.

He looked down the hallway and saw a door that went up to the roof of the Pokémon Center. A sign reading "Employees Only" hung from the door handle. Nonetheless, Wartortle saw that the door was opened slightly, just enough room for a small Pokémon to slip through. "_She couldn't have gone to the roof, could she?_" asked Wartortle.

Wartortle walked towards the door and walked up the stairs leading to the roof. Once he reached the top, he finally saw Glaceon sitting on the edge of the roof. "_Glaceon?_" he asked.

Glaceon turned around, surprised to see Wartortle standing by the door. "_Wartortle?_" she asked. "_What are you doing here?_"

Wartortle then noticed that Glaceon was dangerously close to the edge. He grew worried. "_Whoa, hold on Glaceon!_" he urged. "_I know you had a bad fight, but that's no reason to take your own life! You got much to live for!_"

Wartortle then ran over to where Glaceon was, grabbed her, and pulled back down onto the rooftop away from the edge. "_Wartortle, what are you doing?_" Glaceon asked.

"_Glaceon, please don't jump!_" pleaded Wartortle. "_Look, I'm sorry about what I said earlier! I was being stupid! I didn't think I would upset you that much! Just don't jump!_"

"_What?_" asked Glaceon, confused. "_I'm not going to jump. I just wanted to get from fresh air. Now let go of me!_"

Glaceon then kicked Wartortle away from her. She then went back to the edge of the roof and sat there. She looked out towards the view of Mahogany Town. Wartortle walked over towards Glaceon and sat down next to her. Glaceon only turned towards Wartortle. "_Go away,_" Glaceon told him.

"_What?_" asked Wartortle, surprised. "_Why? I said I was sorry._"

"_Oh, I got over that. I just want to be by myself._"

Glaceon turned away from Wartortle. Wartortle already know what the deal was. "_So...you're still all mopey about losing to Pryce's Froslass?"_ asked Wartortle.

"_I nearly cost May her gym badge,_" sulked Glaceon."_I got too full of myself and I thought I could obliterate all of Pryce's Pokémon. I figured that since I was evolved, I was now much stronger._"

"_Oh, will you stop?_" Wartortle asked. "_So you lost a battle. It's not the end of the world. You'll get your chance again._"

"_No I won't. After that loss, May's never going to pick me again for anything._"

"_Hey that's not true!_" protested Wartortle. "_That's not the kind of person May is."_

Glaceon still felt sad. She tried to turn her head away, but Wartortle quickly pulled it back towards him._ "Listen to me Glaceon,_" ordered Wartortle. "_Just because you lost one battle as a Glaceon doesn't mean you're useless. It just means that you have to work a little harder to unleash your potential. Sure when Quilava and I evolved, we became more powerful. But that wasn't just because we evolved. We trained hard to learn what we could now do and what moves we can use. It may take longer with you, but it will be worth it in the end when you're taking down Pokémon like nothing. Who knows? Maybe you can even defeat me in a battle."_

"_You really think so_?" asked Glaceon.

"_I don't know. You might. The only way to find out is to move on from what happened at Pryce's gym. You lost. Big deal. You think I win every battle I'm in? No, of course not. Even a Pokémon as great as me gets knocked off his feet sometimes. I'm still mad that my battle with Walrein ended in a draw. Is that going to ruin my life? No. Am I going to get back up and battle again? Oh you can bet your tail that I will!_"

With every speech Wartortle gave, Glaceon began to feel more and more confident. "_Now then Glaceon, what are you going to do now?_" Wartortle asked. "_Are you going to just stay down and let this one loss ruin your life, or are you going to get back up and show everybody that you are somebody to be feared?_"

Glaceon looked out towards the town. She thought to herself for a moment before she shook her head and put on a determined expression on her face. "_You're right Wartortle!_" she said, proudly. "_I'm not going to let Froslass get to me! I'm going to show everybody just what I'm made of! Just you wait! The next time I battle against a Pokémon, I'm going to put on a show so spectacular that your battle with Walrein will be put to shame!_"

"_Whoa...take it down a notch,_" warned Wartortle. "_But nevertheless, you're getting the picture! Now then, there is a Pokémon Contest coming up. If you want to redeem yourself, you are going to convince May to train you for that contest! And then you're going to defeat every Pokémon you face and win her the ribbon!_"

"_Oh...do you really think May is going to want to train me?_"

"_Of course...and even if she doesn't, then...I'll personally teach you a few moves that'll show her just how valuable you are!"_

Glaceon was taken back by Wartortle's offer. _"Wow...really? You'll teach me?" _she asked_._

"_I'll show you everything_," continued Wartortle. "_I'll teach you how to do an great Ice Beam attack and more! Now what do you say?_"

"_Yeah! Yeah...that sounds great! Let's do it!_"

"_Good! Now then, it's getting chilly out here and I'm still tired. Let's go back downstairs and get some sleep._"

"_Okay._"

With that, both Glaceon and Wartortle began heading towards the stairs leading back downstairs. "_You know Wartortle_," Glaceon said. "_You're nicer than I thought you were._"

"_Yeah...well, I was tired of seeing you moping around. Someone had to snap you out of it,_" explained Wartortle.

Glaceon only smiled at him. "_Thank you_," she said. The two of them then began walking back down the stairs to the healing room.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**NEXT MORNING...**

May yawned and stretched her limbs out as she walked down the stairs to the Pokémon Center lobby. She saw Drew on one of the Pokémon Center's PCs and walked over. "Morning Drew," she greeted.

"Good morning," Drew said back, not taking his eyes off the computer.

"How are you feeling?" she asked. "I heard that you weren't feeling well last night."

"Oh don't worry, I feel much better now."

"Really? You think that being stuck in the Ice Path for a long time and being buried in snow at the gym would make someone sick."

"Yeah well, I'm not going to let the sniffles get in the way of training for the Mahogany Town Contest."

Drew then turned to May. "Speaking of which, have you thought about which Pokémon you're going to train for the next contest, May?" Drew asked.

"Mmm...no, I haven't decided yet," answered May. "I might pick Quilava. I did promise her back in Blackthorn City that she'll be in the next contest. Though I'm not sure if she's up to it after her battle against Mamoswine. I'm going to head into the healing room and see how she's doing."

"Okay."

May walked away and headed towards the back room while Drew continued cycling through a selection of different Pokémon. Drew then found the Pokémon he was looking for. He tapped the icon on the screen and a Poké Ball suddenly appeared in the tray below. Drew grabbed the Poké Ball and released the Pokémon out into the open. The Pokémon turned out to be his Roselia. As soon as she appeared in the open, she crossed her arms and tapped her foot angrily. She glared at Drew. "Why are you looking at me like that?" asked Drew. "Are you still mad because I sent you to storage for a little while?"

Roselia continued tapping her little foot. "Look, I didn't send you to storage because I hate you. I just wanted to spend more time training my other Pokémon, especially Chikorita."

Roselia only replied by jumping up and whacking Drew's head with one of her rose hands. "Ow! What was that for?" Drew asked, angrily.

As May made her way towards the healing room, she began to think about Glaceon. She remembered how sad and miserable Glaceon was yesterday after her loss against Pryce's Froslass. She also remembered what Glaceon said before taking on Froslass. "_Poor Glaceon,_" she thought to herself. "_She wanted to battle so she could show me her strength. She just wanted to be useful, but instead she was defeated. I just want to cheer her up, show her it's not the end _"

May then had an idea. "Wait a minute...I have a week until the Pokémon Contest! I can use that time to train Glaceon for the contest! And if we do enough training, she'll win the contest and the ribbon and she'll feel better. Not to mention it'll be really funny to see Valerie's face once my Eevee evolution defeats one of hers."

May then remembered something. "Oh wait...I promised Quilava that she would be in the next contest."

May thought to herself for a moment. She debated on whether or not to use either Quilava or Glaceon for the contest. Eventually, she made up her mind. "Well...I hope Quilava won't be too angry at me," she muttered.

She then made her way to the Pokémon Healing Room. She opened the door. "Good morning everyone," she said.

She looked around and saw her team clustered together in a group around Quilava and Wartortle. "_Ah...and a good morning to you to May,_" greeted Vespiquen. "_I'm glad that you're here._"

"Oh really? Why's that?" asked May.

"_Well...we've been talking about the upcoming Pokémon Contest...and we've all decided to nominate me to represent you in the contest_."

All of May's other Pokémon began protesting. "_Wait a minute...I didn't agree to that!_" argued Blaziken.

"_What are you talking about, Vespiquen?_" questioned Munchlax. "_Most of us just woke up."_

"_Well I know you're all thinking it_," refuted Vespiquen. "_May, I wish to be a part of the next contest. I wish to show that I am dedicated to serving you!_"

"Umm...thanks Vespiquen," May said. "But I actually already have someone in mind."

"_You what?_" Vespiquen asked, angrily.

May then turned to Glaceon. Glaceon looked up at May. May didn't say a word to her, but the rest of the Pokémon knew who May had chosen for the contest. "_You're...not seriously thinking of picking Glaceon, are you?_" Vespiquen asked.

May didn't answer Vespiquen. She kneeled down so that she was at eye level with Glaceon. "_May...you really want to pick me for the contest?_" asked Glaceon.

"Look Glaceon," she said. "I know that you didn't have such a great battle at the gym. But that was yesterday. Today is a new day and if you and I work together and train together, I think that we can win the Mahogany Town Contest! What do you say?"

Glaceon looked at May, surprised that May would still consider picking her. But before Glaceon could say anything, Vespiquen began protesting again. "_But May,_" she said. "_Glaceon lost in her battle against Pryce's Froslass...a Froslass! Do you honestly think that Glaceon can take on the more stronger Pokémon in the contest?_"

"I think once Glaceon learns some new moves, she can hold her own," argued May.

"_But even Wartortle thinks she's weak!_"

Vespiquen turned to Wartortle. "_Come on Wartortle, you said it yourself yesterday!_" pleaded Vespiquen.

Wartortle looked at Vespiquen and then to Glaceon. "_Well...I could be wrong,_" replied Wartortle.

"_Are you kidding me?_" Vespiquen asked.

"Vespiquen, that's enough!" scolded May. "I've already made up my mind. I want Glaceon to be in the contest...that is, if she wants to."

Glaceon stared into May's eyes. She turned to Wartortle and remembered what he said to her last night. Wartortle nodded his head approvingly. Glaceon then turned back to May. "_Yeah...let's do it!_" she nodded.

"Alright, that's the spirit Glaceon!" cheered May. "As soon as we have breakfast, you and I are going to go to Route 44 and start our week-long training session. Sound good?"

Glaceon nodded her head approvingly. Everybody then followed May as she went to serve them breakfast. Vespiquen, however, stayed in the room by herself, pouting in a corner.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MEANWHILE…**

Jahan was in his bed, feeling miserable. He had just woken up with his face feeling hot, his nose clogged, and his throat dry. He felt very dizzy and light-headed as he stared up at the ceiling. "You got to be kidding me," he groaned. He then let out a series of coughs.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: Whoa! Finally this chapter is done! Sorry for taking so long guys. I had college finals to deal with (again, school is top priority), I was on vacation in Las Vegas, and I was also dealing with some weird headaches as well. But I'm fine now and I thank everyone for being patient with me!

**NEXT TIME: **May and Glaceon start training for the Pokémon Contest. Glaceon is determined to redeem herself, and May is determined to beat Valerie and win the ribbon. However, will that determination pay off for both of them in the end?

Speaking of which, Drew is also training for the contest. However, he doesn't get much done, especially when Roselia keeps picking fights with Bayleef. Roselia feels that Bayleef is trying to take her place. What will come from this?

And what about Jahan falling ill?

All this and more in the next chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	30. Training Begins! Glaceon vs Vespiquen!

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By MisterAnimeFan

REVIEW REPLIES:

**Filipinochick: **I refuse to let this story die!

**Obsessed-beyond-reason2001:** Ouch...all I can say is good luck to you.

**FirePrincess251:** Roselia and Bayleef will have quite a rivalry! Its going to get ugly, I can guarantee you that.

**Rin916:** Turning Jahan into a love interest for May? Maybe I will...maybe I won't. Who knows?

**DeadlySilentAnimeLover:** I didn't think I was making Valerie that despicable. Whoa boy, then you're probably not going to like her in the next few chapters.

**drake22ice:** They will be. Don't worry about it!

**Fangora the Dragon:** Thanks! As for Glaceon x Wartortle, I will have to say no, there won't be any romance between them. Not a big fan of Pokémon romances...

**KurunaGirl:** I like to say that Harley has some standards. Valerie, on the other hand, well...wait and see.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Quilava (Flamethrower, Flame Wheel, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Glaceon (Ice Shard, Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

Vespiquen (Power Gem, Toxic, Fury Cutter)

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

It was six in the morning in Mahogany Town. Silver stood outside his shop, awaiting a special delivery. He wore a black wig, so that he wouldn't draw attention to himself or Team Rocket. Ever since stopping Team Galactic from taking over the S.S. Tidal, Johto has been on high alert of both Team Rocket and Team Galactic. Silver did not want to cause Team Rocket any more trouble.

As he waited, he tapped his foot impatiently, checking the time on his watch. "Where the hell are they?" he asked, annoyed.

Eventually, Silver looked down the dirt road and saw a large van driving up towards him. The van came to a stop right in front of the shop. The driver stepped out of the cab and presented himself to Silver. "Morning," he said, with a smile, "Are you Mr. Goldred?"

"You're late," replied Silver. "You were supposed to be here an hour ago!"

"Yeah I know, but the police had the road going through Route 44 closed and I had to take a detour. I guess Team Galactic was there at the Ice Path or something."

"Is that so?" Silver asked, intrigued.

"Yeah. Anyway, I got what you want right here in the van."

"May I see it, please?"

"Certainly."

The driver then led Silver to the back of the van. He opened the back doors and set some boxes down in front of Silver. Silver leaned down and opened the boxes. Inside were various items, from little stickers to stuffed Pokémon dolls to ball capsules. "I hope everything is in order, sir," the driver said.

Silver picked up the ball capsules and inspected it carefully. "Oh this will do nicely," he smiled.

"In that case, just sign here and we'll all set," the driver said, offering his clipboard.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LATER IN THE DAY...**

After breakfast, May and Drew walked out the Pokémon Center and made their way to Route 44. As they were walking, they talked about the upcoming Pokémon Contest. "So do you know what Pokémon you want to use for the next contest Drew?" May asked. "I know that you're in the cool category, so are you going to use Flygon again?"

"Mmmm...I was thinking of using a different Pokémon this time," Drew replied. "I thought that maybe today I could spend some time going into the forest and catching some new Pokémon to use."

"Oh...that sounds like fun!" May said.

"Yeah...I haven't caught any new Pokémon from Johto yet, so I thought I would take this time to find some."

"Well...I hope you find a really cool Pokémon."

"What about you and Glaceon? You think you can groom her into a Contest Pokémon in less than a week?"

"I think we can. We just need to buckle down, learn some new moves and tricks, and we'll take home that ribbon!"

Eventually, the two arrived in an empty patch of forest on Route 44. Drew headed off towards the forest while May released her Pokémon in the open area. "Okay! Is everybody ready?" she asked. The Pokémon replied cheerfully. May then turned her attention to Glaceon. "Okay Glaceon, let's start your training!" she said. "We got a week until the contest, so the more training we get, the better!"

"_I won't let you down May!_" replied Glaceon, happily.

"Alright, that's the spirit! Now, for our first exercise, I'm going to have you battle against another one of my Pokémon to see what you can do with the moves you know now and improve on what you're lacking."

May then turned towards her other Pokémon. They stood in a circle around May. Vespiquen was there as well, still bitter over May not choosing her to be in the contest. "Now, which Pokémon should you battle against?" May asked. "Let's see..."

May quickly scanned each of her Pokémon. "_Hmm...Blaziken's too tough for Glaceon. Quilava and Wartortle are still hurting from their battle against Pryce's Pokémon. So it looks like it'll be either Munchlax or Vespiquen._"

Vespiquen then had an idea. "_If I battle Glaceon and defeat her,_" thought Vespiquen,_ "then May will reconsider picking Glaceon for the contest and will choose me instead!_"

Vespiquen flew up above everyone's heads. "_Oh May!_" she called. "_I wish to be Glaceon's opponent for today!_"

"Really?" May asked. "You want to battle Glaceon? Well...okay sure."

May then turned to Glaceon. "Glaceon, you think you can handle battling Vespiquen?" she asked. Glaceon nodded her head, approving her opponent. "Alright then! Let's do this! Everyone clear out!"

The remaining Pokémon moved to the side as May, Glaceon, and Vespiquen stood opposite to each other. "Okay Glaceon, you ready?" May asked.

Glaceon took her battle stance. The other Pokémon cheered. "_Go Glaceon! You can do it!_" cheered Munchlax.

"_Knock her out, Glaceon!_" Wartortle shouted.

"_Hey, aren't you going to cheer for me as well?_" Vespiquen asked, angrily.

May looked across the field and saw Vespiquen hovering over the ground, ready to battle. "_Okay_," thought May. "_Vespiquen is part Bug and part Flying, so an Ice-type Pokémon like Glaceon should be able to defeat her easily._"

Glaceon smirked as she stared down her opponent. Vespiquen smirked right back at her. "_Poor Glaceon, she thinks she can defeat me because I happen to be very weak to Ice-type attacks_," she thought. "_She doesn't know what's coming._"

"Alright, everyone ready?" May asked. "Let's battle! Glaceon, use Ice Shard!"

Glaceon fired a barrage of small ice balls towards Vespiquen. "_Starting off with an Ice-type attack, already?_" Vespiquen asked. "_How predictable_."

Vespiquen quickly flew out of the way. She formed a glowing orange energy ball (Power Gem) and fired it at Glaceon. "Glaceon, dodge and use Shadow Ball!" May shouted.

Glaceon formed a dark energy ball in front of her mouth and shot it towards Vespiquen. Vespiquen again flew out of the way and lunged at Glaceon. "_Get ready for my Toxic attack!_" Vespiquen shouted.

Vespiquen then whipped her abdomen, sending poisonous purple liquid flying through the air. "_Oh no!_" worried Quilava.

"Quick Glaceon, dodge with Dig!" May shouted.

Glaceon wasted little time burrowing into the ground, narrowly missing the Toxic attack. "_You can't hide from me forever!_" taunted Vespiquen.

"_It's a good thing that Toxic missed, otherwise Glaceon would have been in serious trouble,_" remarked Quilava.

Vespiquen hovered over the battlefield, waiting for Glaceon to resurface. She sharpened her claws, ready to unleash a fury of Fury Cutter attacks once she does resurface. "_Come on Glaceon..._" she sang. "_I'm waiting!_"

"_Wow...Vespiquen is really getting into this battle_," commented Blaziken.

Vespiquen continued waiting for Glaceon, but she remained underground. "_Glaceon, if you don't come to me, I'll come to you!_" Vespiquen shouted.

Vespiquen then dove towards the hole. Glaceon quickly shot a barrage of ice balls at her from underneath the ground, sending Vespiquen flying out of the hole. "Alright! Nice job, Glaceon!" cheered May.

Vespiquen landed on the ground with a thud. While Vespiquen recovered, Glaceon jumped out and stood in front of Vespiquen. Vespiquen struggled to shake off the Ice Shard. She desperately tried to flap her wings and fly. "Now use Shadow Ball, Glaceon!" May shouted.

Glaceon formed a dark energy ball and shot it towards Vespiquen. Vespiquen quickly rolled out of the way. She then fiercely lunged at Glaceon and slashed her across the face with Fury Cutter. Everyone gasped as Glaceon fell to her knees. Vespiquen finally regained her ability to fly. She quickly made a 180-degree turn and soared towards Glaceon, delivering another Fury Cutter attack! "_Brilliant!_" thought Vespiquen. "_If I keep this up, Glaceon will be defeated in only a matter of moments_."

"_This isn't good_," commented Wartortle. "_Come on Glaceon, fight back!_"

Vespiquen then swooped down towards Glaceon, ready to unleash another Fury Cutter attack. Glaceon was still feeling the effects of the previous two Fury Cutter attacks. "Glaceon, use Tackle!" May shouted.

Glaceon waited until Vespiquen was close enough to the ground. Glaceon jumped into the air and tried to tackle Vespiquen in the abdomen. Vespiquen quickly stopped the Fury Cutter and snapped her abdomen forward, splashing Glaceon in midair with a purple liquid. May and the rest of her Pokémon gasped as Glaceon fell to the ground. "_Oh no!_" worried Quilava.

"_That was Toxic, wasn't it?_" asked Blaziken.

"_Yep,_" answered Munchlax. "_A direct hit._"

"_This isn't good,_" muttered Wartortle. "_Hopefully, Glaceon can finish Vespiquen before the toxic gets to her_."

Glaceon immediately began to feel sick. She could feel the poison settling into her body. "Hold on, Glaceon! You can still win this!" she shouted.

Glaceon struggled to focus on the battle at hand. Vespiquen hovered above her and attacked with Power Gem. "Glaceon, use Shadow Ball!" shouted May.

Glaceon quickly fired a Shadow Ball at the Power Gem, thus causing the two attacks to cancel each other out. A cloud of smoke appeared in the air. Vespiquen took advantage and flew through the smoke. "_Glaceon, watch out!_" warned Munchlax.

Glaceon felt sick and disorientated from the poison. She couldn't respond fast enough. Vespiquen quickly slashed her across the face with another Fury Cutter. Vespiquen then quickly turned around and delivered another Fury Cutter...and then another...and then another, with each slash becoming more and more painful. Vespiquen then finished Glaceon off with one last Fury Cutter attack. Glaceon tumbled backwards towards May, poisoned, beaten, and defeated. She was unable to continue battling.

May quickly rushed up to Glaceon. "Glaceon! Glaceon, are you okay?" she asked.

"_I take it that I am the victor of this battle?_" asked Vespiquen.

No one paid any attention to Vespiquen, however. The rest of May's Pokémon ran past Vespiquen to check on Glaceon, much to her chagrin. "_Umm...hello?_" Vespiquen asked.

"_Wow...you beat her up pretty good,_" commented Munchlax.

"_Oh...I was just doing what May told me to do,_" replied Vespiquen.

"Glaceon, say something," May said to her Glaceon.

Glaceon only groaned mournfully as she still felt the cuts in her face and the poison in her body. May gently sat Glaceon down in the grass and went to her bag. She took out an Antidote spray bottle and applied it on Glaceon. Glaceon still groaned painfully. "It's no good," May said. "I'll have to take her to the Pokémon Center and have her healed up there."

"_Oh come on! She's being overly-dramatic!_" protested Vespiquen.

May took no notice of Vespiquen's protests. She scooped Glaceon up in her arms and ran towards the Pokémon Center. "_Hey, wait up!_" shouted Munchlax, as he waddled behind her.

Little did May know, a certain someone with a set of binoculars was watching her from a mile away. She only snickered as she watched May scurrying. "Well then," she said. "With competition like that, I guess I don't have much to worry about after all. Come Harold, let's resume our own training."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MEANWHILE...**

Drew and Roselia were walking through the forest, looking for Pokémon for Drew to use in the next contest. However, Drew had only seen a few Pokémon, none of which impressed him.

A Pineco appeared, hanging from a tree. Like the other Pokémon, Drew wasn't swayed. "I'm not seeing a whole lot here," remarked Drew. "I just want to find a new, cool Pokémon that'll wow everybody at the next contest."

"_Honestly, what's the point of even searching for new Pokémon?_" pouted Roselia. "_You don't need a new Pokémon. You have a whole team of Pokémon to use, including yours truly._"

Drew then stopped in his tracks. "_Hm?_" asked Roselia. "_What is it?_"

Drew began pondering to himself. "Hmm..." he murmured, quietly. "You know, Bayleef has been doing really well lately. I think it might be time for her to make her contest debut."

"_WHAT?_" Roselia asked, angrily. "_You're going to put __**her**__ in the contest? What about me?_"

"Yeah...that might work. I already got a lot of ideas floating around in my head. I can see her appeal round right now. If I train her some more, maybe teach her a few moves, I think she'll be ready."

Drew then turned around. "Come on Roselia, let's head back to where May's training," he said.

Roselia said nothing to her trainer. She only shivered her petal hands angrily as she thought about Bayleef taking her spot. "_Ooohhh...that Bayleef! Always stealing Drew's attention!_" she thought. She then reluctantly walked besides her trainer, angrily stomping the ground as she went.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Back in Mahogany Town, a large collection of boxes amassed inside the shop. Jessie, James, and Meowth examined them carefully. Inside each box were various stickers, plush dolls, ball capsules, and seals. "Ummm...sir, what is all this?" asked James, picking up a plush doll.

"That is going to be our big money-maker," answered Silver.

"Huh?" Meowth asked.

"You three are aware of Team Rocket's...uh..._financial snafu_, correct?" began Silver. "We are in the red zone right now. So I've spend the past few days in my office, trying to come up with some way to bring in some money, and I think I found a solution. It won't pay back the debt, but it's something. You three...are going to be selling some new items."

"Here?" Jessie asked.

"At the Contest Hall," replied Silver.

"Huh?"

Silver then pulled out an overhead map of the Mahogany Town Contest Hall. "I bought us a stall at the contest hall," he explained, "so that we can sell these items during the upcoming contest. That way we'll have a large crowd and hopefully make a profit off these items."

"But you really think that a few plush toys and stickers are going to save us from debt?" James asked.

"Not necessarily," Silver said. "But hopefully we can get enough money generated so we can fund my next big idea, one that will revive Team Rocket from the ashes and kick Team Galactic out of Johto once and for all!"

Silver walked over to one of the boxes and picked up a ball capsule. "I can guarantee that these ball capsules will be a huge hit," he boasted.

"Ball capsules?" Meowth asked.

"Yep, imported right from the Sinnoh region. From what I can gather," explained Silver, "Coordinators use these ball capsules for the contests. They put their Poké Ball inside the capsule. Decorate the ball capsule with these seals. And then when they release the Pokémon into the open, the seals will create some sort of special effect."

Silver then took out one of his Poké Balls. "Allow me to demonstrate," he said. Silver grabbed a ball capsule and locked his Poké Ball inside. "Alright, next I'll grab a few seals. Two ought to be enough." Silver grabbed two fire seals and stuck them on the capsule. "Alright. Alkazam, go!" Silver threw the Poké Ball up into the air. The Poké Ball burst open, releasing many small fireballs in the air. Alkazam appeared and landed on his feet. Jessie, James, and Meowth were impressed. They clapped their hands after the small display. "Thank you, thank you," Silver said, bowing.

Suddenly, they could hear faint, slow clapping. They turned their attention to the front door. There stood two of the four Rocket Executives, Ariana and Petrel. Petrel clapped his hands slowly while Ariana just stood there. "Bravo Silver, bravo!" taunted Petrel. "Perhaps you should start a career in show business?"

"Excuse me patrons," replied Silver. "But I'm going to have to ask you to leave. The store is closed for today."

"We are not patrons!" snapped Petrel. "We're here to check up on what _brilliant _plan you have to rescue the team from financial disaster."

"Excuse me patrons," repeated Silver. "But I'm afraid the shop is closed."

Petrel disregarded Silver's words and inspected the boxes in the corner of the shop. "So...is this what Team Rocket has been reduced to?" he asked. "We've gone from stealing Pokémon to selling little trinkets and putting on little cutesy displays with fire stickers. For shame. If only your father could see what you're doing to his beloved team."

"Take it easy, Petrel," warned Ariana.

"All I am saying is that Giovanni would never approve of his son's actions," continued Petrel.

"Still jealous that he picked me over you, huh?" Silver asked. "Well I suppose picking on me is the only way to make yourself feel better, right?"

"At least I won't be remember for digging Team Rocket an early grave."

"Neither will I. Trust me, by the end of the month, I will have gotten the entire team out of doubt. Just you wait."

"Oh, I doubt that very much," Petrel said. "Need I remind you that you're the one who got us into this mess?"

"Need I remind you that I can send you to the unemployment line? Just like I did with Cassidy and...uh...and...w-what was that other guy's name? Butch? No, it was Bill. No, Bob!"

"I thought his name was Biff," pondered James.

"Really? I always thought it was Chuck," replied Jessie.

"Oh whatever, he doesn't work here anymore...and neither will you, Petrel, if you continue to pester me."

Petrel only stared at Silver, annoyed. "Very well then," Petrel said. He then made his way towards the door. "Ariana, are you coming?" he asked.

"You go on ahead, I have something to say to Silver," replied Ariana.

"Meh, suit yourself," Petrel said. He then walked out the door.

Ariana walked closer to Silver. "What do you want, Rocket Executive Ariana?" he asked.

"May I speak to you privately?" she asked. "Please."

Silver analyzed her for a moment before turning towards Jessie, James, and Meowth. "You guys go ahead and head over to the stand at the Contest Hall. Get it ready for the contest. Ariana and I must retreat to my office."

"Yes sir," the three replied.

The three got busy walking towards the Contest Hall, while Silver and Ariana made their way to Silver's office down below the store.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

In Silver's office, Ariana and Silver sat across from each other, looking at each other face-to-face. "Listen sir," began Ariana. "Petrel, as well as myself and the other two executives, are only concerned about the state and well-being of Team Rocket."

"Why?" Silver asked, as he shuffled some folders around, "Team Rocket may be having some money problems, but I got everything taken care of. There's no need to worry."

"But with the way things have been ever since the Tyranitar attack, we can't help but wonder if you really are cut out for the job."

Silver then slammed the vanilla folder onto his desk. "Now see here!" snapped Silver. "My father chose me because he knew he could count on me to bring Team Rocket to greatness!"

"Watch your tone with me, young man," warned Ariana.

"He knew that those other guys couldn't be trusted, and rightfully so. He needed someone that would run the company the way he would, and who better at the job than his own son?"

Silver then ran his fingers through his hair and let out a frustrated sigh. "All because I'm young...they think they look down on me," he muttered.

Ariana couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for him. "Listen sir, I know you have a lot of pressure on your shoulders," said Ariana. "I can only imagine what it is like to be a young man like yourself to be suddenly entrusted to be in charge of a large criminal organization by his father. I'm only concerned, sir. I understand if you want to keep this job, but just know that there's no shame in wanting to back out."

Silver took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "Look...I won't lie and say that I haven't been stressed out," he replied. "Maybe I didn't want to be the leader of Team Rocket to begin with, but the fact is...my father has entrusted me with Team Rocket and I don't want to let him down. I will do whatever it takes to make Team Rocket flourish and bring it back to its former glory!"

Ariana only smiled as she could see the determination in his eyes. "Very well then, sir," she said, getting up from her seat. "If you really want to keep the job, then I suppose I will do my best to serve you, despite the protests of my colleagues. I wish you luck, sir."

"Thank you," replied Silver. "You know, you're the only one of the Team Rocket Executives who actually calls me sir."

"Well, I won't call you sir if you screw up," warned Ariana.

"I won't," assured Silver, "Trust me."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

At the Pokémon Center, May and the rest of her Pokémon waited as Nurse Joy treated Glaceon in the emergency room for the immense amount of poison in her body. They stared at the door, anxiously waiting to hear the news. "_I hope she'll be okay,_" worried Munchlax.

"_Oh relax,_" replied Vespiquen. "_It's only a dose of poison. The medical personal should be able to help her just fine._"

Suddenly, there was a ping and the red light over the emergency door turned off. Nurse Joy and Chansey emerged from the room. "So how is she?" May asked.

"Glaceon is going to be fine," answered Nurse Joy. "We applied some heavy-strength antidote to her to help alleviate the pain from the poison. With some rest, I think she'll be back on her feet by tomorrow morning."

"Thank you Nurse Joy," May said. "Can I go back there with her?"

"Of course, but I appreciate it if only you were in there. I don't want to have the other Pokémon disturb her just yet."

"Okay. The other Pokémon will stay out here then."

"Thank you. Now then, I have to attend to some other patients, so if you'll excuse me."

Nurse Joy then walked over towards the front desk. May's other Pokémon spread out throughout the rest of the lobby. Vespiquen, however, hovered closer to May. "_Well, what can I say?_" Vespiquen asked. "_I suppose Glaceon isn't ready for the big leagues. But I know someone who is._"

"What's your problem, Vespiquen?" May asked, sternly.

"_Huh?_"

"When you battled Glaceon today, you didn't even give her a chance to fight back!" scolded May.

"_What do you mean? I did what you said. I battled her._"

"I was trying to boost her self-confidence! You didn't have to be so brutal! You could have let her win!"

"_Excuse me? Let her win? I battled the way any other Pokémon would have battled! It's not like the Pokémon in the contest are going to be any kinder to her that I was!_"

May didn't reply to her. She only took out her PokéDex and began looking up moves that Glaceon could learn. She got up from her seat and made her way to the emergency room. Vespiquen quietly hovered behind her as she walked. "_So...since Glaceon has been defeated, what say that I represent you in the contest?_" she asked.

May just walked into the emergency room, closing the door on Vespiquen. Vespiquen remained hovering in the air. "_I'll take that as a no,_" she moaned, softly. "_Figures, everyone and everything has been centered around Glaceon, with her 'woe is me' sob story._"

While Vespiquen ranted to herself outside, May sat next to a sleeping Glaceon in the emergency room. Glaceon snored quietly as May gently stroked her fur. She let out a depressed sigh. "Glaceon, don't let today get you down," she whispered softly. "We still got another six days ahead of us. You'll get better. I promise."

May turned her attention back to her PokéDex. On the screen was a list of moves that Glaceon had the potential of learning. Amongst them were moves such as Ice Beam, Iron Tail, Last Resort, Blizzard, and Hail. "Hmmm...let's see," pondered May. "Glaceon knows Ice Shard, Shadow Ball, Dig, and Tackle. She did really well using Dig and Shadow Ball. But Tackle isn't really a strong move, so maybe if she knew Ice Beam instead of Ice Shard and Iron Tail instead of Tackle...that could work."

Just then, May heard some faint groaning. She quickly turned to her Glaceon as she began regaining consciousness. Glaceon slowly opened her eyes. "_What? Where am I?_" she asked, dazed and confused.

"You're at the Pokémon Center," answered May. "Vespiquen used Toxic on you, so I took you here to get the poison treated."

Glaceon tried hard to remember what happened before. "_That's right,_" she said, "_I remembered getting hit with some weird purple stuff. Then I felt woozy and weak..._"

"And then, Vespiquen slashed you in the face with Fury Cutter," added May.

"_Oh yeah, that's right,_" remembered Glaceon. "_You know, I thought I could beat her because I had a type advantage over her. But just like when I went up against Froslass, I got too full of myself. I underestimated how powerful she was. Or maybe I'm just that weak._"

"Hey, don't worry about it!" assured May. "So we had a bad first day. By the end of the week, you should be able to take her down with ease! Trust me."

"_I don't know,_" moaned Glaceon. "_Maybe Vespiquen should be in the contest instead of me. She definitely could defeat the competition without any problems_."  
"Look Glaceon, you're only upset because you lost today and the poison's getting to your head. Just sleep it off for tonight. I promise that tomorrow will be better. Okay?"

"_Okay,_" sighed Glaceon.

"Alright. I'm going to go outside and feed the rest of the Pokémon. I'll be back in the morning."

May then walked out of the emergency room. Glaceon just went back to sleep, still upset about today's events.

Right after May walked out the emergency room, Drew entered the front door of the Pokémon Center. "May?" he called out.

May looked up from her PokéDex and saw Drew standing in the doorway. "Drew?" she replied.

"May, what happened?" Drew asked. "You just ditched me on Route 44."

"Oh sorry, Drew. Glaceon got poisoned so I had to take her to the Pokémon Center quickly. I sort of forgot about you."

"Oh. Well, I guess I can't blame you for taking off and leaving me behind."

"Yeah...sorry about that."

"So, what happened? How did Glaceon get poisoned?"

"Well...I had Glaceon battle Vespiquen, and Vespiquen got her with Toxic. It was so bad that I couldn't use a regular Antidote on her."

"So today's first day of training didn't really go so well?" asked Drew.

"Glaceon may have lost, but I know what's she good at and what needs improving. So for the rest of the week, I'm going to teach her some new moves!"

"Sounds good. I'm going to do that for Bayleef as well."

"Oh? You're using Bayleef for the contest?" May asked.

"Yep," replied Drew.

Drew suddenly yelped when his Roselia whipped the back of his leg with one of her petal hands. She angrily stomped towards where the other Pokémon were. "I guess she's not happy about that," May said.

"Honestly...she thinks everything's got to revolve around her," sighed Drew.

"_Gee...that sounds like another person I know_," thought May.

"I'm sure Roselia will get over though. Anyway, it's getting late. I better feed my Pokémon dinner."

"I should probably feed mine too. I'm going to go upstairs and get the food."

"Yeah...you do that."

Drew began making his Pokémon dinner while May walked towards the stairs. But before she made her way up, Nurse Joy stopped her. "Excuse me," she called out.

May turned towards her. Nurse Joy carried a tray with a bowl of hot soup on top. "Could you do me a favor?" Nurse Joy asked. "Since you're going upstairs, would you mind delivering this bowl of soup to the young man upstairs?"

"Young man?" May asked. "You mean Jahan?"

"Yes, that's the one! He's come down with a really bad cold, so I thought I would make him some soup."

"He's sick?" May asked.

"I'm afraid so," replied Nurse Joy. "I'm hoping that the soup would help him, even just a little bit. Now could you please deliver it to him?"

"Umm...sure," agreed May.

Nurse Joy then carefully handed May the tray. "Please be careful, the soup is very hot," Nurse Joy said. "Thank you so much for doing this for me."

"No problem," replied May.

May then slowly and carefully made her way up the stairs, trying desperately not to spill the soup. She made it to the top step and walked towards Jahan's room door. Since both of her hands were full, she lightly kicked the door with her foot. "Hello?" she asked.

No one answered. She kicked the door again. "_It's open!_" shouted a voice from inside.

"My hands are full!" May said.

May could hear someone grumbling inside. She then heard footsteps approaching the door. The door opened up. On the other side of the door was Jahan, wearing sweat pants and a baggy shirt. His hair was a mess, his eyes were red, and his nose was noticeably clogged. "Oh my," muttered May.

"What do you want?" Jahan asked, in a gravely noise.

"Nurse Joy made you some soup," answered May.

"And she send you to deliver it?" Jahan asked.

"Well fine then! If you're not hungry..."

May then turned her back to the door. "Wait!" Jahan called out. He then opened the door wider. "Come in," he said.

May stepped into his room. Immediately, she could smell the "sick" in the room. She looked around and saw the bed covers thrown all over the bed as well as wadded-up Kleenex tissues on the floor. "Just set the soup down on the nightstand," Jahan told May.

"Okay," May said.

She then placed the bowl of soup on the nightstand as she was told while Jahan climbed back in bed. He let out a hoarse cough as he did. "Wow...you really are sick," remarked May.

May then placed her hand against his forehead. "Oh my...your face is really hot!" she exclaimed.

"Gee, thanks doc for that in-depth diagnosis," replied Jahan.

"You know, that soup is really hot. I could dump it all over your lap if I wanted to," threatened May.

"You wouldn't dare."

May grabbed the bowl of soup and was about ready to throw it in Jahan's face. "Alright, alright! Take it easy," replied Jahan.

May sat the bowl down. Jahan then grabbed the spoon off the tray. "Haven't been feeling very hungry, but I'll try to eat," mentioned Jahan. Jahan dipped his spoon into the soup, blew on it, and sipped it slowly, wincing as the burning hot soup touched his tongue. "Wow...that's hot," he commented.

"Well...it is soup," mentioned May. "Is it good?"

"It's okay," Jahan replied, softly. "But my taste buds are sort of blurring together, you know."

"Yeah, that happens when you're sick," May said.

"Aren't you sick too?" Jahan asked. "I mean, you were in the gym too, buried up to your knees in snow."

"No, can't say I'm feel under the weather," replied May.

"Oh okay."

Jahan then let out a sneeze. However, he didn't cover his mouth, causing May to step back. "Ah! What are you doing, you idiot?" May asked, angrily. "Now you're going to get me sick."

"Sorry," Jahan replied, slyly.

May then stormed her way out the door. "Fine, if you're going to be that immature, I'm leaving!" May shouted, angrily.

"Go ahead. I won't stop you," Jahan told her.

May was halfway out the door before Jahan called her. "Wait!" he said.

"What is it?" May asked, angrily.

"Uh...thanks for the soup," murmured Jahan, quietly. But May heard it loud and clear. She began smiling. "You're welcome," she said, before walking out.

She then made her way to her room. "_Jahan, I swear. If I get because of you!_" she thought.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: Alright, and that's another chapter done! I hope that has met everyone's expectations. For the record, May will not be sick in the next chapter (she's got enough to deal with). However, I can tell you that she'll have a new obstacle to face over the next few days.

**NEXT TIME: **May and Glaceon continue training for the Pokémon Contest, as do Drew and Bayleef. Glaceon, with the help of Wartortle, begins to make some progress as she tries to learn Ice Beam and Iron Tail.

Meanwhile, both Vespiquen and Roselia still feel neglected by their trainers. The two talk to each other about it, and after realizing how much they common they have, decide to team up to weaken Bayleef and Glaceon. However, their plans are some of the wackiest ever thought of. But will they actually have any success?

Find out this and more in the next chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	31. Making New Allies and Seeing Old Friends

"Pokémon: Contest Chronicles"

By MisterAnimeFan

So, some of you guys may have noticed that the chapters seem to be a bit...off. That's because I deleted a previous chapter from the story (wasn't that important, so don't worry about it).

Anyway, enjoy chapter 32...I-I mean chapter 31 of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles."

**NOTE: **Sorry about that last upload. Something went wrong with the dialogue and it got scrunched together. It should be fixed now.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Quilava (Flamethrower, Flame Wheel, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Glaceon (Ice Shard, Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

Vespiquen (Power Gem, Toxic, Fury Cutter)

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Roselia (Magical Leaf, Stun Spore, Solarbeam, Petal Dance)

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME...**

_Preparations and training for the Pokémon Contest are underway! After choosing Glaceon for the upcoming Pokémon Contest, May went out to Route 44 to train her. She pitted Glaceon against Vespiquen in a one-on-one battle. Both May and Glaceon thought that Glaceon could defeat Vespiquen with ease, due to her being weak to Ice-type attacks. But Vespiquen showed that that wasn't the case, as she defeated Glaceon by using her deadly Toxic attack. May was not too pleased with the result, much like how Vespiquen wasn't too pleased with the way May's been acting._

_Drew has also become training for the contest. Whilst searching for Pokémon, he decided on using Bayleef in the contest. Roselia was less than pleased. She felt that she deserved to be in the contest, but Drew didn't want to hear it._

_While the two are training for the contest, Jahan remains in bed with a terrible cold, which is keeping him from training and for going out and looking for Tyranitar._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

All of May and Drew's Pokémon sat together in a circle near their trainers. They all ate away at their own respective bowls of Pokémon food sitting in front of them. Meanwhile, May and Drew were nearby, concentrating on finishing their own plates.

As Drew ate his food, he looked over his shoulder and watched his Pokémon eat their meals. However, he noticed Roselia eating by herself, away from the other Pokémon. He knew why. He turned back to his food and sighed heavily.

May couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for Drew. She peeked over his shoulder and saw Roselia eating by herself. "Cheer up Drew!" May said, happily, "I'm sure Roselia will come around and befriend Bayleef in no time."

"Well, I don't know when "no time" will be, but it's not happening fast enough," complained Drew.

May bit lightly into her lip.

"You know...maybe you should use Roselia instead of Bayleef," she suggested. "Because, when you think about it, Roselia has always been your main Pokémon, kind of like how Ash and Pikachu are."

"Is it really that bad for me to focus some of my attention to another Pokémon of mine?" Drew asked, mildly annoyed.

"Oh no! I'm not saying that. But you have to understand why Roselia is upset. I mean you two are sort of inseparable. I think it would better if you used Bayleef in the next contest and then have Roselia participate in this contest."

Drew looked away from his food, into May's eyes.

"Look, I understand why Roselia is upset, but she has to understand that not everything can be about her. I want to train Bayleef for the contest for the same reason you want to with Glaceon, because I think Bayleef would make a great contest Pokémon"

May diverted her eyes, and concentrated back into her plate.

"Yeah...I guess that makes sense," agreed May.

While Drew and May were talking, May's Pokémon sat behind her in a circle, eating their food. Munchlax was rapidly gulping his food while Vespiquen quietly nibbled at hers. "_I must say,_" she said, "_I'm starting to acquire a taste for this Pokémon food. I can see why this food appeals to you guys._"

Vespiquen looked up to the rest of May's team. While Munchlax and Blaziken minded their own business, Quilava and Wartortle glared at Vespiquen, making her uncomfortable. "_What's the matter with you two?_" Vespiquen asked, confused by their hostility.

"_What's the matter with 'you'?_" Quilava asked, angrily.

"_What do you mean?_" Vespiquen asked.

"_You didn't have to be that hard on Glaceon,_" added Wartortle.

Something inside Vespiquen snapped, she have had enough.

Vespiquen angrily threw her food pellet into her bowl and lowered her head down in disbelief. "_Really?_" she asked, annoyed. "_You two are mad at me too because I hurt poor little Glaceon?_"

"_Look we don't care that you're jealous of Glaceon,_" began Wartortle, "_but that doesn't mean you have the right to brutally attack her the way you did._"

"_Attack her? Are you kidding me?_" Vespiquen asked, outraged. "_Jealousy has nothing to do with what happened today._ _May asked me to do battle with Glaceon!_"

"_Actually, you volunteered,_" corrected Blaziken.

"_Will you keep your mouth shut?_" snapped Vespiquen. She turned back to Quilava and Wartortle. "_Look, the fact is, May picked me to battle Glaceon. I'm sorry if she and Glaceon underestimated me, but the fact is I did what I was told and I won_."

"_Still, you could have gone a little easier on her_," retorted Quilava.

"_Why? Why should I have gone easier on Glaceon? It's not like the other Pokémon in the contest are going to give her any special treatment. As matter of fact, what if May picked either of you? Would you go easy on Glaceon?_"

For a moment, things were silent between the team. "_Well?_" Vespiquen demanded.

"…_I would_," whispered Wartortle.

"_Me too…_" agreed Quilava almost immediately.

"_Oh you two are such liars_," accused Vespiquen. "_You two are very prideful, especially 'you' Wartortle! You would never let yourself get beaten by Glaceon_."

Vespiquen turned to Blaziken. _"Blaziken, you're the wisest of the bunch, talk some sense into these two_," begged Vespiquen.

Blaziken turned his head and ate his food quietly. "_Blaziken!_" shouted Vespiquen.

"_I was told to keep my mouth shut,_" said Blaziken indifferently.

Vespiquen fumed. She threw her arms up in the air. "_Well, that's it! This whole team is against me_!" she said, frantically. "_I've had it with you all! If you need me, I'll be eating with Green Hair's Pokémon._"

"_Hey! What did I do?_" Munchlax asked.

Vespiquen hastily picked up her bowl and flew it towards Drew's Pokémon. As she got closer to Drew's team, Vespiquen noticed Roselia off to the side eating by herself. This perplexed her. "_Is she not one of Green Hair's Pokémon? Why is she alone?"_ she asked herself.

Curious, Vespiquen flew closer to Roselia. "_Excuse me,_" she said. Roselia only turned to Vespiquen before turning back to her food. "_Do you mind if I sit down and eat dinner here?_" Vespiquen asked

"_I don't see why not,_" Roselia replied, quietly.

Vespiquen set her bowel down next to Roselia and started eating. "_Sooo...I couldn't help but wonder_," began Vespiquen, "_Why is it that you're eating out here all by yourself? Wouldn't you rather eat with your fellow teammates?_"

"_Wouldn't you?_" snapped Roselia. "_How come you're with me and not with everyone else_?"

"_Oh...my team is...in disagreement with me,_" Vespiquen answered.

"_For what?_"

"_Honestly, I'm still trying to figure that out. Today I had a mock battle with Glaceon, a battle which I won, but apparently, that makes me some sort of deviant who hurts others._"

"_Huh?_"

"'_Huh' indeed… I did exactly what May told me to do. I battled Glaceon, showed her what power I had. But rather than do the logical thing, that is train me for the contest instead of Glaceon, May, as well as Quilava and Wartortle, scolded me because I apparently was battling too hard_."

"_Why would they do that? It's not like the Pokémon in the contest are going to go easy on her_," said Roselia, using common sense.

"_Thank you! That's exactly the same point I told them, but they just wouldn't listen. All they care about nowadays is trying to make Glaceon feel better about herself. Everything's been about her. They don't even pay a shred of attention to me!_"

"_Really now?_"

Roselia was now becoming intrigued in Vespiquen's ranting. "_Honestly, I feel like 'I' should be in the contest!_" Vespiquen proclaimed. "_But instead they all focus on her. It's almost as if May doesn't care about winning, or me for that matter… at times it feels like she just keeps me around for fun._"

Roselia blinked.

"_Wow..._" Roselia replied. "_I didn't think anyone had the same problem as me._"

"_What do you mean?_" Vespiquen questioned. "_Is there a Glaceon on Green Hair's team as well?_"

"_Well no, but there's that wretched Bayleef!_"

"_Bayleef? Oh right, I remember now! She's that grass Pokémon that attacked me back at my old home. Did she attack you as well?_"

"No, s_he didn't attack me, but ever since Drew got her when she was a Chikorita, he's spent more time with her than with me! Before coming to this region, it used to be him and me. Sure he had other Pokémon as well, but I was 'always' the one by his side. But then, he got that Chikorita! Once he did, he placed me back in storage. I waited for weeks, and then when he finally brought me back, I thought he was going to apologize for doing that. I would have understood if he wanted to spend __**some**__ time with Bayleef, but it appears that I've been...replaced!_" Roselia cried as she buried her face in her roses.

Vespiquen reached over to Roselia and patted her on her shoulder. "_Oh, you poor, poor thing,_" comforted Vespiquen.

May looked up from her plate and saw Vespiquen and Roselia talking to each other. She immediately frowned and grew suspicious of her. Drew noticed this and lifted a brow. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Drew followed her line of sight and looked over his shoulder. He saw Vespiquen and Roselia eating dinner together. "What's Vespiquen doing with Roselia?" Drew asked confusedly.

"I don't know, but I don't like it. Something tells me that the two of them shouldn't be together," May stated suspiciously. "Vespiquen has the same problem as Roselia."

Drew chuckled.

"Oh, what's the worst that could happen?" Drew asked jokingly. "Are the two of them going to come up with some plan to sabotage Glaceon and Bayleef? Come on May. I don't think they would stoop low enough to do that."

May continued to glare at Vespiquen and Roselia for a second, but then shook her head and smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she said. "I don't think Vespiquen would stoop that low." May then continued eating.

May wasn't the only one suspicious of Vespiquen. Blaziken spotted the two eating together as well, and grew weary about Vespiquen's motives. It wasn't like her to suddenly make friends with someone else. "_What is she up to_?" he pondered to himself.

Vespiquen and Roselia continued talking and ranting about Glaceon and Bayleef.

"_Honestly, why shouldn't 'I' be in the next contest?_" Roselia asked. "_I'm more experienced than Bayleef and unlike her, I have won contests before. With Bayleef, who knows if she can pull off the victory or not?_"

"_I understand your pain Roselia,_" continued Vespiquen. "_It just isn't fair. Sure, I may have been captured accidentally, but when she took me in as her own, I thought that she would at least put me in a battle or a contest or something. But she's done not a single thing with me. She's too focused on the little runt of the group. In my opinion, I don't think she'll be ready in less than a week._"

"_Well...hopefully, our trainers will realize that tomorrow and will decide to use us instead,_" said Roselia.

"_I agree,_" replied Vespiquen.

The two then finished off their meals, as did the rest of Pokémon as well as May and Drew. The two trainers continued sitting at the table, talking. "Huh...you know, I just realized that I haven't seen Jahan at all today," mentioned Drew.

"That's because Jahan is sick with a cold," replied May.

"Haha-is he really?" laughed Drew.

"Yeah. I guess being buried in snow at Pryce's gym really did a number on him. I'm surprised that you and I aren't sick."

"I guess we just got lucky. But at least we can train in peace without him berating us and running his mouth."

"I guess...but still...I just can't help but feel a little bit sorry for him."

"Really? Why? You know if you were sick, Jahan would be laughing."

"I don't think so. Remember when I suffered a concussion? He actually helped me get to the Pokémon Center."

"True, but that was a one-time thing. I doubt he'll ever do that again."

"Still, he helped me in my time of need. I thought I would repay the favor."

Drew only glared at May, not happy that she's helping Jahan, a guy who despised both him and May. Not to mention that Jahan made him believe that May would hate him after her accident in the Ice Path. Nevertheless, he refrained from getting angry and instead turned towards the wall. "Yeah...I guess that make sense," he muttered.

"Don't get me wrong," replied May, "I don't like Jahan either. He's rude, immature, and a loudmouth. But he did set aside his feelings to help me. It would only be right for me to do the same."

Drew said nothing more. He got up from his seat and yawned. "Well...anyway, it's getting late," he sighed. "I better turn in for tonight. Are you coming too?"

"In a little bit," answered May. "I'm still trying to figure out what to do tomorrow."

"Yeah well, don't stay up too late," advised Drew.

Drew then made his way to the stairs. "Good night May," he said.

"Good night Drew," May replied back.

Once Drew was upstairs, she leaned back into her seat and let out a sigh. "What am I going to do with Glaceon?" May asked herself. "After today, she's all depressed again. I need to do something to boost her self-esteem and raise her confidence."

While her Pokémon were off playing or watching the T.V., she stared up at the ceiling, thinking of any way to help Glaceon. Just then, she remembered mentioning Ash Ketchum during dinner with Drew. She focused her attention forward as an idea suddenly popped into her head. "Wait a minute...that's it!" she said, happily. "Ash! He's been in more regions than me and he's had more experience with Pokémon than I do! Maybe he knows what to do! Why didn't I think of this before?"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Meanwhile, a sickly Jahan lied in bed with his head deep in his pillow. Still sick with a cold, his forehead felt hot and his head continued throbbing. Croconaw sat by his head, worried about his trainer. He looked to his right and saw an empty bowl next to his bed on the nightstand. Just a few minutes ago, May had dropped off a bowl of soup for him.

He stared at the bowl some more, for what reason he didn't know. He found it strange that May was still helping him even though she knew that he didn't like her (or coordinators in general).

Before he could think anymore, he slowly started to fall asleep again.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Okay, thanks for telling me, Mrs. Ketchum. Good-bye," May said to Ash's mother. She then hung up. May had tried calling the Ketchum residence in Pallet Town, but Delia told her that Ash was traveling the Sinnoh region now. She mentioned that he was currently in Jubilife City and that if May was lucky he'll still be there. May looked up the number for the Pokémon Center in Jubilife City and dialed it up.

She sat there and waited as the phone continued to ring. It rang and rang for a bit before finally someone on the other line picked up. May was glad that it was Ash.

"Hello?" Ash asked.

"Hi, Ash!" replied May, waving at the screen. "Remember me?"

Ash's eyes popped when he realized that May was on the other side of the call. He was very surprised to see her again. "May, is that you?" he asked, happily. "Oh wow...it's been so long!"

"I know, too long," she replied.

"Oh man, it's great to see you again!"

Suddenly, Ash's Pikachu jumped up onto his shoulders. "_Pika!_" he cheered, happily. May only laughed as Pikachu smiled into the camera. "Hi Pikachu!" she waved. "It's been a while since I saw you too. You are just as cute as ever!"

Pikachu only scratched the back of his head, flattered by the comment. "Hey wait, how did you find me?" Ash asked.

"Oh! Well, I tried calling your house, but your mom told me that you were in Jubilife City, so I looked up the number for the Pokémon Center and well, thankfully you were there!"

"Good thing you called too, because in the morning, I'm heading to the next gym," mentioned Ash. "But anyway how've you been, May? How's Johto?"

"Johto's great!" answered May. "I was in Blackthorn City a few days ago. Right now I'm in Mahogany Town."

"Oh yeah! I remember Mahogany Town. That's where I won my Glacier Badge," remembered Ash.

"Oh! Speaking of that..."

May then reached into her bag and pulled out her badge case. She opened the case and held it up to the camera. "Ta-da! Check out what I've been winning lately," she boasted.

Ash and Pikachu leaned in closer and examined the gym badges carefully. "Are those gym badges?" Ash asked.

"Yep," smiled May. "I won the Rising Badge from Clair and recently, I won the Glacier Badge from Pryce."

"Wait...so you're challenging gym leaders now?" Ash asked, confused. "What about contests?"

"Oh, I'm still doing those too."

"So, you're challenging gym leaders...and Pokémon contests?" Ash asked.

"That's right," confirmed May.

Ash sat back in his seat and crossed his arms. "Hmmm...well, that's something I didn't think you would do," he remarked. "What made you decide to challenge gym leaders too?"

"Well basically," she began, "some guy told me that coordinators can't be Pokémon champions, so I'm sort of doing this to prove him wrong."

"Really?" Ash asked, intrigued. "Who is this guy?"

"Oh, he's someone who thinks he's the greatest but really he isn't."

"I see," nodded Ash. "Well anyway, how does it feel battling gym leaders?"

"Oh my...it's tough," May groaned, as she leaned back in her seat. "These gym leaders don't mess around. It took me two tries to defeat Clair, and Pryce's Pokémon put up quite a fight."

Ash laughed as how May underestimated the strength of gym leaders. "Well...those are gym leaders for you," he said, "always pushing your Pokémon to their limit. But anyway...what about contests? Have you won any ribbons in Johto yet?" Ash asked.

May didn't reply. She only turned away from the screen and rubbed her back nervously. "Oh..." Ash replied. "Sorry I asked."

"The coordinators here are pretty tough too," explained May. "In fact, that's why I wanted to call you. I need some advice."

"Advice, huh?" Ash asked. "Well, I don't know much about Pokémon coordinating."

"Oh no, it's not really about coordinating," she clarified. "You see, I'm trying to train my Glaceon for the contest but she's not very confident in herself. I want to boost her self-esteem a bit, but I'm also dealing with my Vespiquen. She's jealous that I'm using Glaceon for the contest and not her. I was wondering if you had any advice on how to deal with that."

Ash grabbed his chin and thought about what he could say to May. "Hmmm..." he pondered. "Let's see. Well, I know how you feel having a jealous Pokémon on your team. One time, I had a Chikorita with the same problem. Whenever I trained with Pikachu, she would get jealous and disobey me."

"Really?" May asked, intrigued.

"Yep," continued Ash. "Eventually, she ran away from the Pokémon Center and got into some trouble with Team Rocket. She then eventually warmed up to Pikachu and she and Pikachu became friends. So, who knows? Maybe your Vespiquen will warm up to Glaceon too."

"Well, I don't know about that. Vespiquen isn't one to make friends so easily. In fact, she's one to make enemies than friends."

"Oh come on, I'm sure she's not that bad. I'm sure she'll come around."

"I hope so."

"Now, about your Glaceon," he continued. "How come she's so down on herself?"

"Ummm..." stammered May. "Well, long story short, she lost in the gym battle against Pryce and she lost in the practice battle against my Vespiquen today."

"Hmmm...I see," Ash said, nodding his head. "That makes sense. The only thing I can say is too not let up on her. She thinks she's worthless, but you have to prove that that's not true."

"How do I do that?" May asked.

Ash looked off-camera and pondered about what he would do in that situation. Then, he had an idea. "Oh! I know!" he exclaimed. "Try putting her in battles against wild Pokémon."

"Wild Pokémon?" May asked, confused.

"Yeah, wild Pokémon can't battle as good as the rest of the Pokémon on your team. If she can beat those Pokémon, she'll start realizing that maybe she isn't so bad after all."

May looked up towards the ceiling and thought about what would happen if she did that. "That might actually work," she agreed. "Surely, Glaceon can at least defeat some small wild Pokémon. And at the same time, I can teach her some new moves as well."

"Yeah, you could do that too."

May turned her attention back to the screen. "Thanks Ash!" she said. "I knew you would be a big help."

"Ah, it was nothing," he replied. "Glad I could help."

For a moment, the two only smiled at each other. Pikachu still remained on Ash's shoulder. Even though May got what she wanted, she thought that it would a good time for her and Ash to catch up with each other.

"So, how's it going in Sinnoh, Ash?" she asked.

"It's been going well," he replied. "Tomorrow, we're going to head over to Oreburgh City so I can challenge the gym leader and win my first Sinnoh League gym badge."

"That sounds nice. I know you can do it."

"I hope I can."

"Have you been talking to Brock too?" May asked.

"Actually, Brock's traveling with me here in Sinnoh," mentioned Ash.

"Really?" May asked, surprised. "He's with you right now?"

"Yeah, but he went to bed a few minutes ago. So I don't want to wake him up."

"Oh okay. Is he still flirting with women?"

"Ha-ha yeah, you know how he is," laughed Ash. "In fact just today, he was flirting with Nurse Joy."

May only laughed. She could imagine Brock swooning over Nurse Joy, spouting off some cheesy romance lines. "I remember how Max would always pull Brock away by the ear every time he tried putting the moves on a woman," she said.

"Yeah, well nowadays whenever he tries romancing someone, his Croagunk would appear, jab him in the back, and then drag him away."

May and Ash only laughed. The two continued talking, catching up with each other. May talked some more about her family, how they were doing, and her gym battles with Clair and Pryce while Ash told her about his travels in Sinnoh and his new friend Dawn. They talked for what seemed like hours on end.

Eventually, Ash let out a big yawn. "Well May," he said, "it was nice getting to talk to you again, but it's getting late here."

"Yeah...I should probably turn in too," replied May. "It was nice to see you again."

"Same here. You and I should talk more often. I wanna hear about your battles with the gym leaders."

"I'll tell you what, anytime I go to a Pokémon Center, I'll talk to you over the phone. Sound good?"

"Sounds good to me."

Pikachu then yawned. "Alright May, I'm going to call it a night. Good luck in the contest."

"Good luck to you too!"

"Good night."

"Good night."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After saying good night to Glaceon, May changed into her sleepwear and went to bed. The rest of her Pokémon slept in the same room with her, sleeping in the corner of the room. Vespiquen, however, kept her distance and took another corner by herself.

Later that night, Wartortle opened his eyes and carefully inspected the room. He heard May quietly snoring in her bed and the rest of the Pokémon sleeping soundly behind him. "_Perfect!_" he thought. "_Now's my chance!_"

Wartortle quietly sat up and walked towards the door. He jumped up and turned the knob, opening the door. He looked back, making sure that no one was awake. He then quietly snuck out of the room. Thankfully, neither May or her Pokémon noticed him leaving.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

In the emergency room, Glaceon slept peacefully on the table, along with a few other sick and injured Pokémon. The effects of the poison were beginning to fade in her body.

Just then, the door to the emergency room quietly creaked open, allowing some light into the dark room. Wartortle then popped his head in and looked around the room. He only saw a few injured or sick Pokémon along with Glaceon. "_The coast is clear,_" he whispered to himself.

He stealthily snuck into the room and walked toward Glaceon's table. He jumped up, grabbed onto the edge of her table, and pulled himself up. He walked towards Glaceon and gently shook her. "_Hey Glaceon,_" he whispered. "_Glaceon! Wake up!_"

Glaceon made some stirring noises, but she remained asleep. Wartortle shook her head some more. "_Come on, Glaceon! Wake up!"_ he demanded.

Glaceon yawned and stretched her muscles out. Then she turned her head and slowly opened her eyes to see the form of Wartortle.

"_Wartortle, what do you want?_" Glaceon asked tiredly.

"_I want you to get up and follow me,_" replied Wartortle.

"_What?_"

Glaceon finally got onto her feet, albeit still exhausted and sleepy. Glaceon looked up at the clock in the room and let out a somewhat annoyed sigh. "_Wartortle, it's two in the morning!_" she complained. "_Can't this wait until morning?_"

"_No!_" replied Wartortle. "_I want to do this now so that way no one can bother us_."

"_Bother us?_" asked Glaceon.

"_Look, just come with me!_" demanded Wartortle.

"_Oh, alright!_" snapped Glaceon, loudly.

"_Hey!_" shouted a nearby Pineco. "_Keep it down! I'm trying to sleep!_"

"_Sorry!_" whispered Wartortle.

Wartortle and Glaceon then quietly snuck out of the emergency room. Glaceon covered her eyes when she stepped out into the lit hallway. Wartortle quickly looked around for anyone who could spot them. He turned back to Glaceon. "_Come on!_" he ordered. He and Glaceon then ran down the hallway. "_Where are we going?_" Glaceon asked.

"_You'll find out soon_," replied Wartortle.

After the two rounded around a corner, they jumped when they saw a door open up in front of them. "_Quick! Someone's coming! Hide!_" ordered Wartortle.

Glaceon and Wartortle jumped behind a corner. Jahan stepped out of the men's restroom, yawning. He then let out a cough and his body shivered. "Oh man, it's cold in here," he muttered quietly. He walked down the hallway shivering, completely missing Glaceon and Wartortle. At the end of the hallway, he was caught by Nurse Joy.

"Jahan?" she asked surprised. "What are you doing out of bed this late?"

"I had to use the restroom," yawned Jahan. His body shivered again.

"You shouldn't be out of bed this late, especially when you're sick," warned Nurse Joy. "Come on. I'll escort you back to your room."

Nurse Joy grabbed onto Jahan's right arm and helped him back up to his room. Glaceon and Wartortle quickly ran out towards the empty lobby and out the front door. "_Wait a minute? We're leaving the Pokémon Center?_" Glaceon asked, frantically.

"_Yep,_" Wartortle replied, happily.

"_Tell me where we are going!_" demanded Glaceon.

"_We're going to Route 44!_" Wartortle finally answered.

"_Route 44? This late! Why?_"

"_Just shut up and follow me!_"

Wartortle continued to drag Glaceon out of town and into Route 44.

Eventually, the two arrived at the sight of this morning's battle between Glaceon and Vespiquen. Besides them was a small glimmering lake. "_Okay, we're here!_" proclaimed Wartortle.

"_Great. Now why are we here?_" Glaceon asked.

"_We're here to do some more training!_" answered Wartortle.

"_More training? This late?_"

"_Yes! Now quit complaining! Trust me. I'll make this worth your time._"

"_No! I-I rather not."_

"_What? Why not?_"

"_It's late. We should go back to the Pokémon Center before someone notices that we're missing._"

"_Listen Glaceon, there are only six days until the contest. In the long run, that doesn't give May a lot of time to train you, at least during the day._"

Glaceon lowered her head. "_Look, it doesn't matter regardless,_" she groaned. "_I'll never be ready in time for the contest._"

"_Not with that attitude, you won't._ _Now do you want me to teach you how to do an Ice Beam or not?_"

"_Wait-what?_" Glaceon asked surprised. "_Ice Beam_?"

"_Yes,_" confirmed Wartortle. "_Remember?_ _I told you that I was going to teach you Ice Beam. Ice Shard isn't bad, but for the contest, it's not going to cut it anymore. You need to learn Ice Beam and fast. So starting tonight, you and I are going to come out here every night and you and I are going to work towards learning Ice Beam_."

Glaceon's eyes slowly widened and a big grin appeared on her face. "_Really?_" she asked, excitedly.

"_Yep,_" Wartortle replied.

"_But wait...why late at night_?" Glaceon asked. "_How come we can't do this during the day_?"

"_Because May's training you during the daytime,_" explained Wartortle. "_Think about it. If you manage to learn Ice Beam before the day of the contest, May will have more time to teach you some contest moves_."

"_But...do you think I can learn Ice Beam before then?_"

"_Not if you keep up this whole "oh-I'm-no-good-at-battling" attitude. Now what do you say we quit wasting time and start training, Glaceon?_"

Glaceon looked off to the side, thinking for a moment. It wasn't long before a determined look appeared on her face. "_Alright! Let's do this!_" she said, proudly.

"_That's the spirit!_" replied Wartortle. "_Now, let's get started._"

Wartortle and Glaceon both walked to the edge of the lake. "_First, let me show you what an Ice Beam can do_," boasted Wartortle.

Glaceon sat down and watched as Wartortle took a few steps back. Wartortle took a deep breath and released a powerful Ice Beam attack towards the lake, freezing some parts of the water. "_Wow..._" gasped Glaceon.

"_Wait, I'm not done!_"

Wartortle jumped onto the small ice platform that he had just created. He then looked down and launched himself into the air by firing a powerful Water Gun attack. While in mid-air, Wartortle quickly switched from Water Gun to Ice Beam and froze his Water Gun attack, creating a large ice crystal. Wartortle then used Aqua Tail and shattered the ice crystal into little pieces. "_Wow,_" gasped Glaceon, as the little pieces fluttered in the air, like snow.

Wartortle walked back onto the shore and turned to Glaceon. "_Alright, now you try_," he instructed.

"_What? Me?_" Glaceon asked. "_But I can't do an Ice Beam_."

"_Just try and see if you can from shooting a bunch of ice shards to shooting one long beam of ice._"

Glaceon still remained unsure, but she did what she was told. Glaceon took a few steps back, took a deep breath, and reared her head back. She snapped her head forward, hoping to launch an Ice Beam, but all she did was fire her Ice Shard attack, which sank into the water. Glaceon frowned after the failed attempt at the Ice Beam, but Wartortle cheered her up. "_Hey don't worry about it,_" Wartortle said. "_Eventually, you'll get it. Now let's try again. Just focus on turning those shards in a beam_."

Glaceon and Wartortle spent the rest of the night practicing and working towards getting Glaceon to do an Ice Beam.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Eventually, the sun began to rise over the land. Wartortle and Glaceon hurried to make it back to the Pokémon Center before May or anyone else realized that they were gone. They managed to make it back to the Pokémon Center before dawn. Thankfully, the lobby was empty. Wartortle quickly helped Glaceon back into the emergency room where she slept. "_I'll see you in a little bit!_" he whispered frantically before taking off up the stairs to May's room.

Glaceon let the door close behind her and quickly jumped back up onto the table where she was placed. Happy to know she would get to rest, if at least a bit.

Wartortle walked up the stairs and quietly snuck into May's room. He looked around and to his good fortune all the Pokémon were still sleeping soundly, as was May. "_Perfect,_" he whispered.

He looked up and saw the clock on the nightstand by May's bed. It read 6:10 a.m. He stealthily tiptoed his way over towards where May's Pokémon slept, hoping not to be caught. But then, he heard someone stirring and making noises. He looked up and saw Munchlax waking up. He began to panic. "_No, you idiot! Go back to sleep!_"

Munchlax then sat up, stretched his arms out and yawned loudly. "_Boy...I'm hungry,_" he muttered quietly. Munchlax cracked his eyes opened and saw Wartortle standing there on his tiptoes. "_Wartortle?_ _What are you doing up this early?_" Munchlax asked, groggily.

"_I was...uhhh...I was_…" Wartortle stammered, trying to think of an excuse. "_I was...doing some...early-morning stretches!_"

Wartortle then did a few stretches to prove his point. "_You know, a great Pokémon like myself needs to keep himself in shape, you know?_" he continued, nervously.

Munchlax stared at him for a little bit and raised a brow. "_Well...okay then_," he replied. Wartortle breathed a sigh of relief. "_Is breakfast ready yet?_" Munchlax asked hungrily, his belly crying for food.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: Once again, sorry for the long wait. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Special thanks to RagingDragon04 for beta-reading this chapter for me!

**NEXT****TIME: **May and Glaceon continue training for the Pokémon Contest, as do Drew and Bayleef. Glaceon, with the help of Wartortle, begins to make some progress as she tries to learn Ice Beam and Iron Tail.

Meanwhile, both Vespiquen and Roselia still feel neglected by their trainers. The two talk to each other about it, and after realizing how much they common they have, decide to team up to weaken Bayleef and Glaceon. However, their plans are some of the wackiest ever thought of. But will they actually have any success?

Find out this and more in the next chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


	32. Ruckus on Route 44!

**REVIEW REPLIES:**

**LuvAllPokémon:** Wow...you sure left a lot of comments. I'm glad you like the story so far!

**Blueannad:** Looking back now, those gay jokes about Harley were childish and immature. Don't worry, there won't be anymore.

**PokémonGirlieGirl:** So will I be receiving those million dollars in cash or credit? I'm just kidding. I hope you enjoy the chapter!

**Obiwan1527:** I'm glad you love it! As for the rating, I won't veer too much into T-rated territory, so I think I'm safe with the "K+" rating.

**AngelWings:** Those are actually pretty good ideas for future Pokémon that May and Drew could catch.

First off, I'm so, so sorry for the _**extremely **_long wait for the next chapter. My school work was starting to pile up (amongst other IRL stuff) and fanfiction had to be put on the backburner.

As always, to make up for the lost time, this chapter is a lengthy one. While admittedly, not much time passes in the story, a lot does happen. I hope you all enjoy it!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Quilava (Flamethrower, Flame Wheel, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Glaceon (Ice Shard, Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

Vespiquen (Power Gem, Toxic, Fury Cutter)

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Roselia (Magical Leaf, Stun Spore, Solarbeam, Petal Dance)

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME...**

_After Vespiquen defeated Glaceon in a practice battle, both Wartortle and Quilava scold her for "battling too hard," despite Vespiquen's arguments. That was the final straw for Vespiquen. She left the team during dinner and sat next to the equally upset Roselia. The two quickly bonded, as they talked about their issues with Bayleef and Glaceon taking their spots in the upcoming contest._

_Speaking of Glaceon, May was still trying to come up with some way to help boost Glaceon's self-esteem. To get some advice, she called her old friend Ash Ketchum, who was currently traveling in the Sinnoh region. Ash recommended that May have Glaceon battle wild Pokémon instead of the Pokémon on her team. That way Glaceon could have a fighting chance. Afterwards, she and Ash spent some time talking and catching up with each other._

_Later that night, while everyone was asleep, Wartortle snuck Glaceon out of the Pokémon Center and dragged her all the way to Route 44. There, the two did some late-night training, in hopes that Glaceon could learn Ice Beam in time for the contest. Unfortunately, Glaceon didn't learn the move, but nevertheless, the two are training hard for the contest._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

It was early in the morning in Mahogany Town. May, Drew, and their Pokémon were having breakfast in the lobby of the Pokémon Center.

As the Pokémon ate, Glaceon and Wartortle constantly yawned, tired from spending last night training.

Vespiquen was the only one to notice the two yawning Pokémon. Curious, she hovered over towards Glaceon and landed right next to her. "_Awww...what's the matter, Glaceon?_" Vespiquen asked, taunting her. "_Didn't get enough sleep last night?_"

"_No,_" replied Glaceon. "_Last night I was-_"

Glaceon's voice suddenly trailed off. She was about to mention her late-night training with Wartortle, but she grew worried that if Vespiquen knew about it, she would try and stop them. "_Umm...last night, I wasn't feeling very good and I couldn't get to sleep,_" Glaceon said.

"_Awww...well that's no good,_" Vespiquen replied. "_Surely, you can't let May down now. If you're going to represent her in the contest, you can't be tired or exhausted. Otherwise your performance will suffer and May won't be able to win her ribbon._"

Glaceon averted her gaze from Vespiquen. She hates to admit it, but Vespiquen was right."_Perhaps_," continued Vespiquen,"_it would be best if you had someone else take your place for you, someone with a little more experience perhaps?_"

"_What experience do you have?_" Wartortle asked, suddenly intervening. "_Vespiquen, what are you doing?_"

Vespiquen was surprised by Wartortle's sudden appearance. "_Why Wartortle, I'm merely giving Glaceon some words of encouragement,_" replied Vespiquen. "_But I suppose I've said enough. I shall take off and speak to my new friend, Roselia. If you'll excuse me..._"

"_Since when were you friends with Roselia?_" Wartortle asked.

"_Oh come now, can I not be friends with whoever I want?_" Vespiquen asked rather crossly.

She flew off in a huff back towards Roselia. Wartortle and Glaceon were left alone. "_Hmph! Encouragement my foot,_" Wartortle muttered. He turned to Glaceon. "_Just ignore what she said to you,_" he told her. "_You'll do fine_."

"_I don't know_," doubted Glaceon. "_She made a good point._"

"_Hey! What did I say about doubting yourself?_" Wartortle asked, sternly. "_That kind of attitude won't get you far in the contest. You need to believe in yourself! Think like a winner! Winners don't doubt themselves!_"

Glaceon thought about it for a moment, and then she put on a brave face. "_Yeah. Yeah, you're right!_" she said, proudly.

"_Of course I'm right!_" boasted Wartortle. "_Now, no matter what you and May do today, you're going to give it your all! You got that?_"

"_Got it!_" replied Glaceon.

"_Good! Now eat up! You got a long day ahead of you._"

Glaceon then continued eating breakfast along with the rest of May's team. Blaziken, however, had witnessed the entire event between Wartortle and Glaceon and was curious as to why Wartortle was acting strange. Two days ago, Wartortle was boasting about his "win" against Pryce's Walrein and berating Glaceon. Now, he's her motivational speaker. It perplexed him. "_Hmmm..._" he pondered. "_Maybe that blow to the head I gave him knocked some sense in his skull._"

Meanwhile, Drew and May sat at the table finishing their own breakfast. "So what are you going to do today, May?" Drew asked.

"Well today, I thought I would take Glaceon out into the forest on Route 44 and have her battle some wild Pokémon there," answered May. "Once she battles a few of them, it'll restore her self-esteem and I can teach her some new moves, like Iron Tail and Ice Beam."

"Sounds like a plan," commented Drew.

"Well to be honest, Ash was the one who thought of the idea," mentioned May.

"Ash?" Drew asked.

"I was talking to him last night on the phone."

Drew still looked at May, confused as to whom she was talking about. "You remember Ash Ketchum, don't you?" May asked.

"Oh yeah! I remember him now," Drew said, suddenly remembering him. "He was that guy who was traveling with you back in Kanto and Hoenn. How's he doing?"

"He's doing fine," answered May. "Right now, he's in the Sinnoh region trying to compete in their Pokémon League. I talked to him last night, and I asked for his advice on training Glaceon."

"Must have been nice catching up with each other," said Drew.

"It was nice to talk to him again," replied May. "I promised that I would call him whenever I can."

May then took one last bite from her breakfast and got up from her seat. "Well, I better head out," she said.

"Yeah, me too," agreed Drew.

The two sat up from their seats, cleaned up their table, and met with their Pokémon. "Alright, you guys ready for today?" May asked the Pokémon. They all replied with various cheers (except for Vespiquen and Roselia who only sulked). May and Drew retreated their Pokémon back into their Poké Balls, all except for Glaceon and Bayleef. May kneeled down to speak with her Glaceon. "You ready, Glaceon?" asked May.

Glaceon only nodded happily. "Alright then, let's go!" cheered May. May made her way towards the door. Glaceon walked beside her. Drew and Bayleef followed closely behind.

Before they stepped foot outside of the Pokémon Center, they heard someone coughing loudly. Drew and May turned around and saw Jahan walking down the stairs. His Croconaw stood by him, doing his best to help him walk (despite him only being three feet tall). Jahan looked miserable. "Good morning Jahan!" May said to him.

Jahan only groaned in response. "It's about time you woke up," remarked Drew.

"Don't start with me, okay?" Jahan demanded, in a raspy voice. "I don't feel like dealing with you right now."

Croconaw escorted Jahan to the front desk. "So...you're still sick?" May asked.

"What do you think?" Jahan replied, annoyed.

"Hey, take it easy!" scolded Drew. "She's only asking you a question."

Jahan then turned towards the two and stuck his arms out, presenting his disarranged self. "Just take a look at me," he ordered. "What about this made you think I'm not sick?"

May only crossed her arms angrily. "You know, you could have just told me that you're still sick," she pouted.

"Whatever," snorted Jahan.

Jahan then let out a hoarse cough. Drew and May took a step back, trying not to catch his cold. "Man, this stinks," complained Jahan. "The more time I spend here trying to get better, the less time I have to train for my gym battle."

May only watched as Jahan struggled to keep himself on his feet. Even though he didn't mention it, she knew that Jahan was also worried about his Tyranitar. "Well, don't worry about the gym battle," May said. "Just focus on trying to get better."

"What do you think I'm doing?" snapped Jahan.

Drew threw his hands up in the air. He had enough with Jahan's attitude. He pulled on May's arm. "Let's go May," Drew told her. "There's no sense trying to talk to him."

Drew then lead May towards the door. "I'll see you later, Jahan!" she called out. "I hope you feel better!" Jahan didn't reply. His head ached too much for him to come up with a response.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Once May and Drew reached the outskirts of town, they went their separate ways. Drew and Bayleef went out to the Lake of Rage while May and Glaceon headed towards Route 44. May and Glaceon walked side-by-side down the dirt road, heading towards the forest.

"Alright, Glaceon! Are you ready to give it your all today?" May asked her Pokémon. Glaceon looked up at her trainer's smiling face. She then remembered the advice that Wartortle gave her. She proudly nodded her head. "Alright!" May said. "Now let's get started!"

She and Glaceon then searched the forest for wild Pokémon to battle. It was hard for May to find a good Pokémon to battle. May didn't want an overly strong Pokémon, but she didn't want Glaceon to face something weak either.

Finally, May sat her eyes on a group of egg-like Pokémon, huddled closely together. They were trying to figure out a way to get an apple from a tree. "_What are they?_" Glaceon asked. May took out her PokéDex and found out.

**PokéDex Entry: Exeggcute**

**The Egg Pokémon**

**Exeggcute are always seen clustered together in a group. Should one egg be separated from the group, the energy bond between them will make them rejoin instantly. When cracks appear on their shells, it signifies that they are close to evolving.**

"Perfect!" May said, happily. She put her PokéDex back into her pocket. "Alright Glaceon! Let's battle that Exeggcute!"

Glaceon took another look at the Exeggcute. She noticed some cracks on its shell, making her a bit worried. "_Didn't the PokéDex say that cracks on their shells mean that they're about to evolve?_" she asked, anxiously.

May quickly took another look at the Exeggcute. Indeed, there were some cracks forming on the shells of the eggs. But May didn't see this as an immediate threat. "I think we're fine," May said.

"_I don't know_," worried Glaceon.

"Oh relax, Glaceon. You can beat it! I know you can!"

Glaceon then she remembered what Wartortle said to her earlier. "_Think like a winner! Winners don't doubt themselves!_" she thought.

Glaceon took another look at the Exeggcute. Her confidence began to build up. "_Yeah...this should be no problem_," she said, proudly. "_It's a Grass-type Pokémon. It is weak to my Ice attacks!_"

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" May replied. "Now let's do it!"

The Exeggcute, unaware of May or Glaceon's presence, climbed on top of one another, trying to reach the apple in the trees. They tried their best to keep their balance, but they ultimately failed and the eggs tumbled to the ground.

It was then that they noticed May and Glaceon standing before them. Glaceon crouched down, ready to battle. The Exeggcute only stared at Glaceon, confused as to what was going on. "You ready, Glaceon?" May asked.

Glaceon nodded her head. "Alright then, let's start off with Shadow Ball!" May shouted.

Glaceon formed a black ball of energy at its mouth and fired it at the Exeggcute. The eggs quickly broke away, dodging Glaceon's Shadow Ball. They quickly huddled back together and glared at Glaceon, this time ready to put on a battle. "Don't let them get to you, Glaceon!" cheered May.

The egg upfront opened its mouth and fired a barrage of glowing seeds at Glaceon. "Bullet Seed! Watch out!" May shouted.

Glaceon quickly began running around the Exeggcute, trying to dodge the Bullet Seed attack from Exeggcute. Exeggcute stopped their attack and immediately huddled closer together. An orange powder was released and hung in the air, gently falling towards the ground. "Oh no! That's Stun Spore!" she gasped. "Glaceon, hurry and use Dig!"

Glaceon wasted no time burrowing into the ground. Thankfully, she avoided being paralyzed by the Stun Spore. The Exeggcute grew worried. Each of the eggs quickly looked around, anticipating where Glaceon would appear back on the surface. They waited and waited for her to resurface. "Alright," May muttered. "Now use Tackle!"

Suddenly, Glaceon leaped out from underground and then lunged at Exeggcute! The Exeggcute spotted Glaceon and quickly formed a barrier of light around them. Glaceon rammed headfirst into the barrier and slumped to the ground. Glaceon groaned as she felt a massive headache afterwards.

"Shoot! I didn't think it knew Reflect," remarked May. "But don't worry Glaceon! Just shake it off!"

While Glaceon was still recovering from her failed Tackle attack, the eggs all converged together. They knew they had to capitalize on the stunned Glaceon. May could see that and grew worried. "Come on, Glaceon!" she shouted.

Glaceon got back on her feet and shook her head. The Exeggcute were ready to use Stun Spore again to try and paralyze Glaceon. "Glaceon, use Shadow Ball!" May shouted.

The Exeggcute heard May's command and quickly abandoned its plan to use Stun Spore. Instead they all faced Glaceon and began to fire a stream of seeds at her. Glaceon, wanting to end the battle quickly, fired another Shadow Ball attack at the Exeggcute, giving it everything she got. The Shadow Ball passed through the Bullet Seeds and made contact with the Exeggcute, kicking dirt up in the air.

When the dust died down, May could see the Exeggcute lying on the ground unconscious and unable to continue battling. A smile slowly appeared on her face. When Glaceon saw the Exeggcute, she couldn't believe her eyes! "_I-I won?_" she asked.

"Yes! You did it, Glaceon!" May shouted, happily.

Glaceon grinned. "_I did it!_" she shouted, happily. She turned to her trainer and ran towards her. She jumped into May's open arms. May held Glaceon tightly to her chest. "_Yes! Finally, I won a battle!_" Glaceon cried, happily.

May held Glaceon up to her face. "You see, Glaceon?" May asked. "You're not weak! You can win! You just need to believe in yourself!"

As the two celebrated, Glaceon began thinking. "_Maybe Wartortle and May are right,_" thought Glaceon, as May spun her around. "_All I have to do is just believe in myself and I can take on anything!_"

But the celebration didn't last for long. The battered Exeggcute eventually began to stir and regain consciousness. Suddenly, a piece of their shell broke off and the eggs began to glow brightly.

May and Glaceon eventually noticed the Exeggcute glowing. They weren't happy anymore. "Oh no," groaned May.

"_You don't think it's evolv-_"

Glaceon was interrupted when the Exeggcute began to grow and change shape. "Yep...it is," answered May.

Eventually, the Exeggcute stopped glowing. It had evolved into an Exeggutor! It now had a strong sturdy body, like a tree trunk. "_I told you it was close to evolving!_" complained Glaceon.

**PokéDex Entry: Exeggutor**

**The Coconut Pokémon and the evolved form of Exeggcute**

**Also known as "The Walking Jungle," each of the fruits is an independently-thinking head. It is said that if one drops off, it becomes an Exeggcute.**

Glaceon looked up at the Exeggutor. The Exeggutor was easily four feet taller than her. Each of the heads had a different facial expression, but the one staring down at Glaceon had a very angry expression. This made Glaceon nervous.

"_Oh no,_" groaned Glaceon.

"Don't worry, Glaceon!" assured May. "You can still beat it! You did it before!"

Glaceon still had her doubts, but she remembered what Wartortle told her and cast her doubts aside. "_Yeah! I can take it out!_" she boasted. "_I did before, and I can do it again!_"

"That's the spirit!" cheered May. "Don't forget. You still have a type advantage against it. There's no way you can lose! Now, let's go!"

Glaceon stared down at the Exeggutor, ready to battle it once more. "Glaceon, use Ice Shard!" May shouted. Glaceon crouched down and shot a barrage of small ice projectiles at the Exeggutor. Exeggutor countered by leaping high into the air, completely avoiding Glaceon's Ice Shard attack. May and Glaceon were surprised at how high Exeggutor could jump.

May then began panicking as Exeggutor began falling back down to the ground, heading towards Glaceon. "Dodge and use Shadow Ball, Glaceon!" she shouted.

Glaceon quickly rolled out of the way right as Exeggutor landed, missing its Stomp attack. Glaceon wasted no time preparing and firing a Shadow Ball attack at Exeggutor. The Shadow Ball connected, delivering a nasty blow to Exeggutor! "That's it, Glaceon!" cheered May. "Don't let up!"

The Shadow Ball did a great amount of damage to the "Walking Jungle." It stumbled around for a bit, but Exeggutor remained on its feet. The Exeggutor responded by firing a barrage of seeds at Glaceon, which she quickly dodged.

While Glaceon ran around the Exeggutor trying to avoid the Bullet Seed, May began thinking to herself. "_This is good_," she thought. "_Glaceon's faster than Exeggutor, and Exeggutor's weak to Shadow Ball and Ice Shard! Glaceon should have no problem taking it down!_"

Back on the field, Glaceon continued outrunning Exeggutor's Bullet Seed. "Glaceon, use Shadow Ball again!" May shouted.

Glaceon fired another Shadow Ball at Exeggutor. The Exeggutor countered with Reflect. The Exeggutor finally had enough with her running around. It released a yellow powder into the air from its leaves. "Oh no, Stun Spore! Quick Glaceon, dodge with Dig!"

Glaceon quickly dug into the ground to avoid the Stun Spore. The Exeggutor, however, had other ideas. Their eyes then began to glow bright blue. Before Glaceon could dig any further, her body glowed blue and she began to float above the ground! The Exeggcute were using its Confusion attack to levitate Glaceon off the ground and into the Stun Spore-ridden air. Glaceon tried hard to break free from their control but it was no good.

May bit into her fingers as Glaceon continued flailing around. Glaceon tried to escape, but it was no use. The Exeggutor only smirked as the Stun Spore slowly numbed Glaceon's body. Her flailing began to slow down as the Stun Spore began to take effect. Eventually, her body was completely numb. She couldn't move.

"Glaceon, no!" May shouted, worriedly.

Finally, the Exeggutor released Glaceon from its Confusion attack. Glaceon fell to the ground, her body fully paralyzed. "Come on, Glaceon! Get up!" May egged on.

Glaceon did her absolute best to get back onto her feet. Exeggutor only smirked some more as it watched Glaceon struggle. Exeggutor wasn't done yet. The mighty Pokémon then leaped high into the air. May knew it was going to stomp on Glaceon. May realized that there would be no way that Glaceon would be able to avoid the attack.

She quickly bolted towards her Glaceon and grabbed her off the ground. She rolled back out of the way just in time! Exeggutor stomped into the ground, creating a small crater around its feet and throwing up dirt in the air. May held Glaceon tightly to her chest, protecting her from the flying debris.

The dust soon settled. May quickly glanced over her shoulder. Exeggutor stared down May and her Glaceon, but decided not to continue its attack. It turned around and walked away. May let out a sigh of relief as the Exeggutor disappeared into the forest.

She heard faint groaning from her Glaceon. She got onto her knees and gently held Glaceon in her hands. "Glaceon, are you alright?" she asked, worriedly. Glaceon only groaned. She was too hurt to answer. May held Glaceon close to her chest and briskly walked behind a tree.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Meanwhile, Drew and Bayleef trained at the Lake of Rage. Drew was trying to teach his Bayleef a new appeal move that he had thought up. The appeal would require Bayleef to create a storm of leaves using Razor Leaf, and then hitting the leaves with Vine Whip.

Drew thought that it would be a great move for the audience to see. However, the move was easier to envision than it was to perform.

"Okay Bayleef, let's try it again," Drew said to his Pokémon. "Now, use Razor Leaf!"

Bayleef violently shook her head back and forth, spinning the giant leaf on her head around and around. Sharp leaves were flung into the air and circled around her. "Now use Vine Whip and whip the leaves!" Drew shouted.

Two green vines then came out from underneath Bayleef's leaves on her neck. Bayleef snapped her vine whips forward, trying to hit the leaves. But Bayleef only swatted at the air, completely missing the leaves. The leaves were too fast for her. Bayleef only hung her head down in shame after her failed attempt. "Don't let that get you down," Drew told her. "We still got five days until the contest. Now let's work even harder. Try it again. This time, though, don't shake her head that fast, just fast enough to make the leaves fly."

Bayleef lifted her head up high and smiled at her trainer. The two spent the rest of the day trying to perfect the appeal.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**BACK ON ROUTE 44**

"Alright, hold still," May told her Glaceon as she pulled a Paralyz Heal out of her bag. She then sprayed the Paralyz Heal on her Glaceon. Glaceon began stirring and moaning. "It's okay Glaceon," May whispered softly. "That should take care of the paralysis." For good measure, May sprayed Glaceon some more.

Eventually, the paralysis went away and Glaceon was able to move again. May was very relieved to see her Glaceon stand up right. She put the Paralyz Heal away and took out a Super Potion from her bag. "Here, this will help as well," she said. While she sprayed the Super Potion on Glaceon, she noticed the dejected look on Glaceon's face. She looked miserable. "Cheer up, Glaceon!" May said. "Look on the bright side, you managed to defeat it when it was an Exeggcute! And by the time we're done, you'll be able to defeat that Exeggutor no problem!"

"_If you say so,_" Glaceon replied, mournfully. May couldn't help but feel sorry for her Pokémon.

After Glaceon was fully healed from her battle with Exeggutor, May put the Super Potion away and she and Glaceon continued on their way to search for some more wild Pokémon. May turned to her partner and saw that Glaceon was still depressed about her loss.

Glaceon only stared at her feet as the two walked down the dirt path. May turned away, trying to find a way to cheer Glaceon up. Glaceon looked up and saw May lost in thought.

Glaceon shook her head and changed her attitude quickly. "_Snap out of it, Glaceon!_" she told herself. "_May's right! I beat it when it was an Exeggcute! So what if it evolved and beat me? I shouldn't let that get me down! I have to focus!_"

Glaceon then charged forward, ahead of her trainer. "Glaceon, where are you going?" May asked.

"_I'm going to find more Pokémon to battle!_" answered Glaceon.

May was confused. "_That's weird,_" she thought. "_A moment ago, Glaceon was beating herself up, but now she's ready to fight again? What's gotten into her?_"

May then realized that Glaceon was almost out of sight. "Hey, wait for me Glaceon!" she shouted.

Glaceon stopped a few feet ahead of May and frantically looked around for a Pokémon to battle. Eventually, she laid her eyes on a Pidgeotto. The Pidgeotto pecked and scratched at the ground, ignoring Glaceon. "_Perfect!_" Glaceon thought. "_A Pidgeotto!_"

May finally caught up with her Glaceon. She kneeled down, trying to catch her breath. "Glaceon, what's gotten into you?" she panted. May's footsteps alerted the Pidgeotto. He poked his head up and saw May and Glaceon, but the Pidgeotto thought nothing of it and continued to mind its own business. May noticed the Pidgetto. She took out her PokéDex and looked it up.

**Pidgeotto**

**The Bird Pokémon**

**Pidgeotto is very protective of its territory and it flies around, patrolling it for intruders. If it feels that its territory is violated, it shows no mercy in punishing said intruder with its sharp claws.**

"Whoa! I don't like the sound of that," worried May.

Despite what the PokéDex said, the Pidgeotto continued searching for food, not really paying much attention to May or Glaceon despite knowing of their presence. May saw that Glaceon wanted to battle it. She was still worried, but she took another look at the Pidgeotto. "That Pidgeotto doesn't look too strong," said May, "I think you can beat it easily, Glaceon."

"_I think so too,_" replied Glaceon. "_I'm ready when you are._"

May then straightened herself up. "Alright Glaceon, let's do this!" she shouted. "Start off with Ice Shard!"

Glaceon then fired an Ice Shard attack at the Pidgeotto. The Pidgeotto sat the attack coming and quickly flew out of the way. When the Pidgeotto landed back onto the ground, it glared at Glaceon, furious that it interrupted its day. The Pidgeotto then flew towards Glaceon, using its wings to propel himself forward (Tackle). "Glaceon, watch out!" May shouted.

Glaceon quickly jumped out of the way of the Pidgeotto. Pidgeotto managed to stop itself before it crashed head-first into the ground. "Hurry Glaceon, use Shadow Ball!" commanded May.

Glaceon quickly fired a Shadow Ball at Pidgeotto. It made contact, but the Pidgeotto wasn't affected! May and Glaceon were shocked to see the Pidgeotto recovered, as if the Shadow Ball attack did nothing. The only thing it did was make Pidgeotto angrier. Pidgeotto then flew towards Glaceon and slapped Glaceon with his wings (Wing Attack). "Oh no, Glaceon!" May shouted, worriedly.

Pidgeotto's Wing Attack sent Glaceon flying back, but luckily she managed to land on her feet. "Glaceon, hit Pidgeotto with another Ice Shard!" shouted May.

Glaceon recovered quickly and fired several shards of ice towards Pidgeotto. Pidgeotto countered by rapidly flapping his wings, creating a strong gust of wind (Gust). The wind caused the Ice Shard attack to dissipate. May covered her eyes to protect them from flying dirt and pebbles. Glaceon tried hard to keep her ground. Eventually, a small tornado formed in between Glaceon and Pidgeotto. The tornado sucked in Glaceon, pulling her off the ground, and spun her around and around. "Hang on, Glaceon!" May shouted.

As Glaceon flew around in a circle, May tried to think of another strategy. She was worried. "_This is bad,_" she thought. "_That Pidgeotto is stronger than I thought. I have to think of something, and quick!_"

Glaceon spun around and around until eventually the wind began died down and the tornado lost its spin. Glaceon was thrown out of the tornado and crash-landed on the ground! Pidgeotto, seeing the stunned Glaceon, saw that he had a window of opportunity. He then charged towards Glaceon. "Glaceon, use Tackle!" commanded May.

Glaceon heard her trainer's command. She quickly looked up and saw Pidgeotto coming towards her. Glaceon gathered all the strength she could muster and, right when Pidgeotto was about to attack, she tackled him hard, right into his abdomen! "Alright, Glaceon!" shouted May.

Pidgeotto tumbled backwards and stopped a few feet in front of Glaceon and May. It lied on the ground, facedown and unconscious. "Good job, Glaceon!" praised May. "Very nice tackle!" Glaceon only smiled at her trainer. "_Nothing to it!_" thought Glaceon.

Suddenly, Pidgeotto regained consciousness. He shook his head and then glared at Glaceon. "Heads up, Glaceon!" warned May. "Looks like you're not done yet!" Glaceon crouched down, ready to battle again. She waited for Pidgeotto to make a move, but he didn't.

After he glared some more, Pidgeotto suddenly turned his back on Glaceon and flew away! May and Glaceon were surprised. "_Huh? It's flying away?_" Glaceon asked.

"I guess he doesn't want to battle anymore," said May.

The two watched as the Pidgeotto flew in the air, eventually disappearing behind some trees.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After Glaceon's battle with Pidgeotto, May healed up Glaceon's scratches and the two continued to look for more Pokémon to battle. However, they were still puzzled by the Pidgeotto suddenly giving up and flying up. "_I don't get it,_" pondered Glaceon. "_Why would that Pidgeotto just fly away?_"

"Maybe you scared him away," speculated May.

"_Oh, come on. I wasn't that strong._"

"I don't know, Glaceon. That was a strong Tackle attack that you dished out."

"_You really think so?_" asked Glaceon.

"Oh yeah!" replied May. "That Tackle attack sent Pidgeotto tumbling back!"

"_Well, I didn't want to lose another battle. So I just poured all strength into that Tackle_."

May turned to her Glaceon. "You see Glaceon, that's what you're supposed to do!" explained May. "No matter how tough the battle gets, you never give up! You give it your best shot!"

Glaceon turned away from her trainer, still grinning. "_Yeah, that's like what Wartortle told me this morning,_" she mentioned.

"Really? Wartortle told you that?" May asked, dumbfounded at the idea of her Wartortle giving advice to another Pokémon. "Well, he would tell you something like that. His battle against Pryce's Walrein wasn't an easy one."

"_So he says_," said Glaceon. She remembered that Wartortle would brag to the other Pokémon about his against Pryce's Walrein.

"And you know," continued May, "Quilava's battle against his Mamoswine was a tough one for him too. Mamoswine was strong, but Quilava didn't give up. He fought and fought until he managed to take him down."

For a moment, Glaceon felt inspired by Wartortle and Quilava's battles. But then she remembered her own battle against Pryce's Froslass and felt embarrassed all over again. "_But Quilava and Wartortle won because they're strong._"

"You're strong too," reassured May, "and you'll be even stronger once you learn some new moves."

"_New moves?_" Glaceon asked, suddenly intrigued.

May then took out her PokéDex. "Yesterday, I was looking up what moves you could learn and-"

Before May could finish, there was a rustling sound. May and Glaceon turned towards a nearby tree, where the sound was coming from. They saw a Pidgeotto perched on a branch. Pidgeotto glared at the two. "What! Another one?" May asked.

Glaceon eyed the bird Pokémon carefully. Suddenly, another bird Pokémon landed right next to Pidgeotto. It looked very much like Pidgeotto, but it was at least a foot larger than the Pidgeotto and the feathers on its head extended all the way down its back. May examined it with her PokéDex.

**Pidgeot**

**The Bird Pokémon and the evolved form of Pidgeotto**

**Pidgeot are known to be very powerful, being able to produce strong gusts of wind with only a few flaps. It is also capable of flying at Mach 2 speed.**

"_That's them, sir!_" Pidgeotto said, pointing to May and Glaceon. "_They're the ones who attacked me earlier!_"

"_Earlier?_" Glaceon asked.

It didn't take long for May and Glaceon to realize that it was the same Pidgeotto that they had just battled a few moments ago. He didn't run away out of fear! He went to get help! "_Oh no,_" groaned Glaceon, "_Not this again!_" After her battle against Exeggutor, she knew where this was headed.

"_So you come and waltz into our part of the forest,_" began Pidgeot. "_That's all well and good...but then you go and attack one of our own!_"

"_Wait...we can explain!_" pleaded Glaceon.

Pidgeot refused to listen. He spread his wings out and made a shrill, shrieking sound. The cry echoed all throughout Route 44. May and Glaceon had to cover their ears. The cry made many wild Pokémon run away and all the winged Pokémon in the area quickly took flight. Within minutes, a large group of angry Pidgey and Pidgeotto arrived and sat on the ground and the tree branches surrounding May and Glaceon. The two grew worried. "This is bad," murmured May. "What are we going to do? We're surrounded!"

Glaceon looked all around, trying to find an opening between the bird Pokémon in which they could escape through. Alas, she found none. "_How many do you think there are?_" Glaceon asked.

"I don't know," answered May. "A hundred, at least."

Suddenly, the Pidgey and Pidgeotto all flew from their branches and charged at May and Glaceon, like crows swarming their prey! They poked and scratched at the two, their sharp claws ripping into May's skin. "Ow! Get away from me!" May shouted, angrily. May tried to swat them away, but the rambunctious birds wouldn't let up.

Glaceon tried fighting some of them off with Ice Shard, but it didn't do much good. There were simply too many for her to fight. When she saw that the bird Pokémon were attacking May, she got angry. "_Hey, leave her alone!_" she shouted. She ran towards May to help her, but a Pidgeotto swooped in and slapped her with one of its wings. "Glaceon!" May shouted, worriedly.

Glaceon tried to quickly get back on her feet, but the vicious feathered fiends pounced on her and wouldn't give her a chance. "There's no way Glaceon and I can handle all of these Pokémon all at once," said May. May then reached into her bag and took out all of her Pokémon's Poké Balls. "Everybody, help us out!"

May threw them into the air. The Poké Balls opened up and every one of May's Pokémon appeared on the field. They were amazed and shocked to see so many Pokémon attacking May and Glaceon. "_Oh dearly me, this again?_" groaned Vespiquen.

"_May, what the heck did you do?_" Munchlax asked, angrily.

"I'll explain later!" shouted May, as she tried to cover her head with her arms. "Please, just help us fight them off!"

"_Leave it to me!_" boasted Wartortle.

Wartortle then fired an Ice Beam at the birds attacking May. While he missed, it scared the birds away and made them back away from May. Wartortle then saw Glaceon being swarmed by the birds. "_Glaceon!_" he shouted. He then jumped into the fray to rescue her. The rest of May's Pokémon followed suit.

Wartortle shot a Water Gun attack towards the birds attacking Glaceon and managed to scare them away. He ran up to Glaceon. He was stunned to see Glaceon all scratched up. "_Glaceon, are you okay_?" he asked, worriedly. He shook her, hoping to get a response out of her. Glaceon slowly pushed herself off the ground and shook her head. "_Oh good, you're okay,_" Wartortle sighed, relieved. He then looked around and saw the other Pokémon trying to fight the swarm. "_I see you and May have made some new friends,_" joked Wartortle.

Wartortle laughed, but Glaceon was in no laughing mood. "_Sorry,_" he apologized. "_I guess this is no time for jokes. But this is no time to be moping around either_."

Wartortle then helped Glaceon up."_Come on Glaceon! Let's help everybody out!_"

Wartortle then fired an Ice Beam at an incoming group of Pidgeotto. The Ice Beam managed to hit one of the Pidgeotto, freezing it. The Pidgeotto then fell to the ground. "Now you try," Wartortle told Glaceon.

"_What? We're going to do this now?_" Glaceon asked.

"_Just concentrate!_" advised Wartortle.

Glaceon shut her eyes, focused, and tried to use Ice Beam. Unfortunately, Glaceon still couldn't use Ice Beam. Whenever she tried to, she would only use Ice Shard. "_Just keep trying!_" Wartortle shouted, as he fought off some birds with Aqua Tail.

The battle continued on, with each of May's Pokémon trying to fight back. While Wartortle and Glaceon tried to fight them off with Ice attacks, Munchlax tried shooing them away with SolarBeam. Vespiquen tried to poison them in masses with Toxic, and Blaziken and Quilava both tried to burn them with twin Flamethrower attacks. But despite their best efforts, they were too much at a disadvantage.

Finally, two figures and a Pokémon arrived on the scene. "My goodness!" exclaimed one. "Look at all of these Pokémon. They're going wild! I do wonder what's behind all this."

The other person carefully examined the entire situation. She then saw May in the middle of it all. "Is that May? Hahahaha!" she laughed. "Oh, this is too rich! May's finally getting what she deserves!"

"Those birds are doing quite a number on her and her Pokémon."

"So? She must have done something very serious to have angered them."

"Even so, we should help her."

"Why should we?"

"Come now, mistress. You two may be rivals, but surely you're not cruel enough to just leave her to be viciously clawed by those feathered rapscallions."

She looked back at the battle going on. By now, May was lying face down on the ground, with several scratches and claw marks in her skin. She covered her neck and waited for everything to be over. "Oh, very well. We'll go help her."

Blaziken tried to Sky Uppercut one of the Pidgeotto, but it only flied away at every attempt. Blaziken then saw May lying on the ground. "_May!_" shouted Blaziken. Scared for her life, Blaziken ran towards her, kicking and shoving any Pokémon that got in his way.

He then shooed the birds away from May. He kneeled down to attend to her. "_May! Are you okay?_" he asked, worriedly. He then looked up. He was stunned to see who was standing there in front of him. It was Valerie, along with her servant Harold and her Jolteon. "_Valerie?_" he asked, dumbfounded.

"Valerie?" May asked, suddenly.

"Jolteon, use Rain Dance!" Valerie commanded, as she pointed to the sky.

Jolteon fired a glowing blue energy ball towards the sky. As it energy ball went higher and higher, it slowly turned into a dark cloud. The dark cloud grew until it spread throughout the entirety of Route 44. At that moment, everyone stopped battling and looked at the sky.

It then started to rain, soaking everyone in the vicinity. "_Oh come on!_" growled Blaziken, as his fur was soaked.

Pidgeot was confused as to where the rain had come from. He looked down and was alarmed by the presence of Valerie's Jolteon. His eyes popped when Jolteon's body began to give off sparks. He then took off flying.

The Pidgey and Pidgeotto then saw Valerie and her Jolteon. "Now Jolteon, use Thunder!" ordered Valerie. The Pidgey and Pidgeotto, terrified, followed suit of their Pidgeot leader and began to take flight, hoping to avoid Jolteon's attack. Fearing the worse, May went back to lying on her stomach and covering her neck. Blaziken threw himself on top of her, offering some protection. Glaceon quickly dug into the ground and Wartortle & Munchlax joined Vespiquen behind some trees.

Jolteon then unleashed an amazing bolt of lightning from its body and into the sky, hitting all of the Pidgey and Pidgeotto! "_Wow!_" gasped Glaceon, as she watched from her small hole. The rest of May's Pokémon had similar reactions upon seeing the bolt of lightning in the sky, zapping the bird Pokémon. "_That's amazing!_" commented Munchlax.

The rain made sure that the Thunder attack hit all of its targets. The crackling sound of the thunder can be heard from miles away! It looked spectacular in the sky!

Eventually, the rain cloud dissipated (and with it, the rain). The sun shone through the clouds once more. Blaziken, who had been protecting May, slowly picked himself up, allowing May to get off the ground. "_Okay May, it's over_," he muttered.

May slowly lifted herself off from the ground. Thanks to the rain, the ground had become mud. May's skin was scratched and her clothes were filthy. But May didn't care. "_It's alright May,_" comforted Blaziken.

"Is everybody alright?" she asked.

All of May's Pokémon came out from their hiding places and presented themselves in front of their trainer. Like May, they had their own cuts and bruises. But fortunately, none of them were seriously hurt. May looked around and saw that the field was littered with dozens of electrocuted Pidgey and Pidgeotto. Their feathers were crispy from the Thunder attack. May was at a loss for words.

Just then, Valerie and her Jolteon appeared in front of May. "Valerie!" exclaimed May.

Valerie then threw a handkerchief into May's face. Valerie had a scowl on her face. She took another look another look at all the beaten Pidgey and Pidgeotto. "I see training's going well for you," she sneered.

May was angry at Valerie upon hearing her snarky comment, but she cast that aside for a moment. "Thanks for your help Valerie."

"I wouldn't have to help you if your Pokémon weren't so weak," snapped Valerie. May and her Pokémon were offended by that comment.

Despite that, May kept a strong face. "You want my advice? Just give up May!" Valerie replied. "There's nothing you can do! My victory, as well as your defeat and humiliation, is inevitable!"

"It is not!" argued May. "I still have five days left until the contest and I'm going to make good on my word! I'm going to beat you and win that ribbon."

"Oh please, as if five days will make a difference."

Valerie then walked over towards May's Glaceon. "I saw you training yesterday," began Valerie. "You had your Glaceon battle against your Vespiquen."

"You saw that?" May asked, nervously

"Indeed I did. I also know that you're planning on using Glaceon in the contest."

Glaceon only covered her face in shame. "Vespiquen was at a huge disadvantage against your Glaceon," continued Valerie. "And yet much like her battle in Pryce's gym, Glaceon lost spectacularly."

Valerie then reached down and yanked Glaceon up by her collar. "May, take a good look at your Glaceon. Do you really think she has a chance in the next contest, let alone against me and my Pokémon?"

May looked at Glaceon, who only sulked back at her. Glaceon wanted to disappear. She didn't want to suffer from any more humiliation. Nevertheless, May kept her composure. "Yes, I think Glaceon has a chance," she answered.

"You have got to be kidding me," replied Valerie.

"No I'm not! When she and I are done training, Glaceon's going to wipe the floor with each and every one of your Pokémon."

"Oh yes, because training has been going swimmingly for her these past few days, right?" jeered Valerie.

Her servant Harold let out a few stern coughs. "Miss Valerie," he said, sternly. "I apologize for interrupting, but it's nearly time for the Pokémon to have their dinner. I would not want to keep them waiting."

Valerie took another look at the Glaceon she was holding in her hand. Then, she took one final look at her battered trainer. "Very well then," she said. She tossed Glaceon to the ground like a rag doll, which angered May greatly. "I'll see you at the contest!" she said. Jolteon snickered at Glaceon before following her trainer as she left the field. Harold quickly bowed down to May and apologized before following Valerie.

Once Valerie had left, May hurriedly attended to her Glaceon. "Glaceon, are you okay?" she asked, worriedly. Glaceon didn't answer. She continued sulking. "Glaceon, please. Don't let what Valerie said get to you. You will get stronger! And you will win the contest!"

"_My, my,_" said Vespiquen. "_What a nasty girl! She's so uncaring, so unsympathetic, so pugnacious! She just says whatever is on her mind, regardless of how the other person will feel!_"

Vespiquen then clasped her claws together in admiration. "_I love her!_" she declared, proudly.

May facepalmed upon hearing Vespiquen. "Oh Vespiquen," she sighed.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: Man, doesn't it seem like May's Pokémon are always getting themselves into these fight-against-the-swarm battles? Well anyway, that's another chapter done! And it only took me five months to complete! Hehe. Again, I sincerely apologize for the long wait and for deviating from what I originally promised in the last chapter.

One reason why this took so long to complete (aside from school and real-life) was because I had a little bit of writer's block as to what to do for the rest of Glaceon's training week and how to execute them properly. Admittedly, these chapters are slowly dragging along, and I'm sorry that they are. I ask that you please bear with me. After about two-to-three more chapters, we'll be done with training and we'll finally get to the Mahogany Town Contest!

Anyway, that's it for this chapter! Feel free to leave a comment, letting me know what you think, what you liked, what you hated, etc. I'll see you all later!

**NEXT TIME: **For the third day in a row, Glaceon loses miserably (it just hasn't been her week, has it?). After the verbal abuse courtesy of Valerie, she's on the verge of just quitting entirely. But May and Wartortle won't have it and they won't give up on her! They are determined to help Glaceon get ready for the next contest! They spend the next day trying to teach her some new moves.

Will Glaceon be able to keep her chin up high? Can she learn Ice Beam in time for the contest? Will she have what it takes to defeat Valerie's Pokémon? And how about Drew and Bayleef? Will they be ready for the contest as well?

Find out this and more in the next dramatic chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"

P.S. Harley fans rejoice! He'll be back in the next chapter!


	33. Everything's Coming Up Glaceon!

**REVIEW REPLIES:**

**JCA Avantika:** Glad you're enjoying the story so far!

**Animecartoonlover36:** Thanks, and I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

**Left-to-die:** Again, sorry for the long wait. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm happy that there are a few people warming up to Jahan.

**Sierra Lobo:** It's alright, don't beat yourself up over it. The important thing is you found it and you like it. I couldn't be happier. Thanks for the kind words, by the way!

**Catrina7077:** Admittedly, I feel like I've been torturing Glaceon longer than I should have. But don't worry, things will look up for her soon.

** :** Drew and May action? Maybe, keep your fingers crossed. ;-)

**SpikEarPichu'sTrainer:** Um...I'm glad the two of you like the story. To answer your question, I do have a few of the big events planned out (contest wins, gym leader battles, etc). It's just the matter of the in-between stuff that slows me down.

Geez, it's been a while, hasn't it? 10 months, to be precise! Wow! That is officially the longest it has taken me to write a new chapter. I'm SO sorry for the extremely long hiatus. This past year has been very hectic for me, namely school. But anyway, the wait's finally over! Chapter 33 is finally here! I hope you all enjoy it! It's a very long chapter too, so hopefully it'll make up for the wait!

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MAY'S POKÉMON**

Blaziken (Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, Flamethrower, and Earthquake)

Munchlax (Substitute, Solarbeam, Focus Punch, Metronome)

Quilava (Flamethrower, Flame Wheel, Sunny Day, Dig)

Wartortle (Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Water Gun, Surf)

Glaceon (Ice Shard, Shadow Ball, Tackle, Dig)

Vespiquen (Power Gem, Toxic, Fury Cutter)

**DREW'S POKÉMON:**

Roselia (Magical Leaf, Stun Spore, Solarbeam, Petal Dance)

Bayleef (Razor Leaf, Vine Whip, Synthesis, Body Slam)

Masquerain (Bubble, Hidden Power, Ice Beam, Silver Wind)

Flygon (Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Steel Wing, DragonBreath)

Absol (Flash, Water Pulse, Razor Wind, Iron Tail)

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**LAST TIME...**

_With the Mahagony Town Contest only a few days away, May and Drew continue practicing and training for the contest. May and Glaceon head out to Route 44 to battle wild Pokémon to boost Glaceon's self-esteem. They first encounter an Exeggcute, which Glaceon managed to defeat easily...that is, until Exeggcute evolved into Exeggutor. It then proceeded to completely annihilate Glaceon, thus bringing her and May back to square one._

_Meanwhile, Drew and Bayleef are training at the Lake of Rage. Drew was trying to teach Bayleef a special contest move that required her to use Razor Leaf and then Vine Whip to whip the leaves in the air. However, it was easier than said. Nevertheless, Drew and Bayleef remain optimistic._

_Back with May and Glaceon, the two decide to continue searching for wild Pokémon to battle, which resulted in Glaceon picking a fight with a wild Pidgeotto...which then resulted in a battle between all of May's Pokémon and a flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto, lead by a Pidgeot._

_May's Pokémon fought hard, but they were too outnumbered and too outmatched. But then, Valerie and her Jolteon happened to pass by and defeat the bird Pokémon with a powerful Thunder attack!_

_May thanked her for saving her, but Valerie only snapped at her. She then berated May and Glaceon harshly, which only made Glaceon feel even more miserable than she already was._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

At the Mahogany Town Pokémon Center, Jahan and his Croconaw were sitting down for dinner. Jahan, who was still sick and drowsy, stared at the bowl of soup and piece of bread in front of him. He turned to his Pokémon, who was gnawing into a big piece of meat with his teeth. Jahan stared back at his own dinner and sighed. Reluctantly, he picked up his spoon and began eating.

Just then, the front doors of the Pokémon Center opened. Nurse Joy, Jahan, and Croconaw all turned towards the front door. They were shocked to see May and her Pokémon all covered in mud and scratches. "We're back," May groaned.

"What in the-?!" exclaimed Jahan.

"My goodness!" Nurse Joy said, as she examined May's cuts. "What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it," May replied, begrudgingly.

"Oh my! Well, we better take care of those scars right away. Why don't you go upstairs and clean yourself up. I'll go and take care of your Pokémon," offered Nurse Joy.

"Okay," replied May.

May then limped her way upstairs, while Nurse Joy escorted her Pokémon into the healing room. "Come on everybody," she ordered. "Follow me to the healing room."

Jahan and Croconaw watched the battered Pokémon following Nurse Joy. They all looked miserable. Croconaw, however, noticed that Glaceon was the worst of the bunch. She hung her head in shame and stared at the ground, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone. "_I wonder what happened_," Croconaw said, worriedly.

The two of them then decided to go back to eating their dinner.

A few moments later after finishing their meal, the doors to the Pokémon Center swung open and Harley proudly walked inside, his arms stretched out and up in the air. "Oh thank the heavens that I'm finally here!" he said, loudly.

"Oh no," groaned Jahan.

"Unbelievable! Those police officers closed down Route 44 and they made me take a detour around the Ice Path!"

Harley then noticed Jahan sitting at a table. "Well, if it isn't Mr. 'I-hate-coordinators' himself," taunted Harley.

"And you must be 'Miss-Drama-Queen-turned-Pretty-Woman'," Jahan replied back.

"At least I look far more fabulous than you do. You look as if you're sick with a cold."

"That's because I _**am**_ sick with a cold!"

"Is that so? Aww...poor wittle baby."

Harley got closer and began to stroke his fingers through Jahan's hair. "I'm so sorry that someone as rude as you is sick. Is there anything I could do to ease your suffering?" Harley asked, in a taunting manner.

"You can get off me before I poke your eye out with a fork," threatened Jahan. Jahan then lifted his utensil up to Harley's face, only to realize that it was a spoon. "Okay, spoon," corrected Jahan.

"Hmph!" snorted Harley. "And what could you do with a spoon?"

"I-I-I could...jam it into your eyes and scoop them out."

"My, my, so bloodthirsty."

Nevertheless, Harley found it in his best interest to back away. "Well I hope that you coming down with a cold would teach you to respect coordinators."

"Keep hoping, cause it's not," replied Jahan.

Harley decided to say nothing more to Jahan.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Okay, this'll sting a little bit," Nurse Joy warned Munchlax. She then sprayed some disinfectant on Munchlax's cuts. Munchlax winced as he felt the stinging pain. A tear began to fall from his eye. "_Ow! That wasn't a little bit,_" he complained.

"_Oh suck it up, you big baby,_" grunted Wartortle.

"_Hey, you cried too!_" snapped Munchlax.

The other Pokémon sat right beside Nurse Joy. They had all had their scrapes and cuts disinfected and bandaged. They were not feeling very cheery, especially Vespiquen.

Eventually, Nurse Joy finished bandaging Munchlax. "Okay, you're done," she told him. Munchlax then jumped down from the stool he was sitting. Nurse Joy turned to the rest of May's Pokémon. "Alright, does anyone else need me to heal them?" she asked. She looked at the group and saw that everyone had been attended to. "Don't worry," she said, "you should all be feeling better by tomorrow."

The sound of a bell ringing caught everyone's attention. At the front counter, Harley was vigorously pounding away at the counter bell. "Excuse me!" he shouted. "I would like some service please!"

He continued ringing the bell as if there was no tomorrow. "Excuse me," Nurse Joy said to May's Pokémon. She left the room to go attend to Harley. As soon as she left, the Pokémon turned their attention to Glaceon, who once again was sulking. "_Oh boy, not this again_," thought Wartortle.

Vespiquen raised her claw up, ready to say something, but a glare from Blaziken quickly put a stop to it. "_Don't,_" Blaziken warned Vespiquen. He turned back to Glaceon. "_Listen Glaceon,_" he said, in a kind voice, "_about today, it's best not to let it get to you."_

"_Yeah,_" said Munchlax, "_especially what Valerie said! You know how she is. Remember back in Blackthorn City?_"

"_Oh come on!_" interrupted Vespiquen. "_Are you all really going to do this?_"

"_Vespiquen,_" Blaziken muttered, sternly.

"_No! I care not for your threats!_" replied Vespiquen. "_This is just sickening now...all of you pandering to her!_"

"_We're not pandering!_" argued Wartortle. "_We're just trying to keep her spirits up._"

"_You're babying her is what it is!_" snapped Vespiquen. "_This is hardly the time for that! The contest is in five days and all of your pandering has done nothing for her! Tell me this. Has she made any progress since you started training? Have she actually won a battle?_"

Glaceonthen remembered her previous battles today against the wild Exeggcute and a Pidgeotto. _"Actually yes,_" squeaked Glaceon, as she finally spoke up. "_I did defeat an Exeggcute...well...before it evolved into an Exeggutor anyway._"

"_And what happened after it evolved?_" inquired Vespiquen.

"_Um...w-well,_" stammered Glaceon.

"_Say no more!_" interrupted Vespiquen."_I've already predicted the outcome._"

"_Well, I also defeated a Pidgeotto before it went to get help,_" added Glaceon.

"_Okay, so out of all the battles you have had in the past few days, you only managed to win one battle?_"

Glaceon searched for something to say back, but she couldn't come up with a response."_That's quite pitiful, if you ask me,_" continued Vespiquen.

"_You know,_ _that's funny because no one asked for your opinion_," replied Wartortle.

Vespiquen only glared at Wartortle. Eventually, she began hovering in the air and her way towards the door. "_Well, I see that once again my comments have fallen on deaf ears,_" she continued. "_I was only trying to help, you know._"

"_That's your idea of helping?_" Quilava asked.

"_I'm just being realistic,_" replied Vespiquen."_I __**do**__ wish to see May rise above her competition and win her coveted ribbon! But let's face the facts. At the rate things have going, there is no guarantee of that happening with Glaceon_."

"_Well just wait,_" Wartortle said. "_When this is all over, May will win the contest with Glaceon, she'll win her ribbon, and the two will celebrate together!_"

Vespiquen only sighed and shook her head disapprovingly. She then flew out the door and into the lobby, leaving the other Pokémon to process what she had told them.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Awww...much better," May sighed as she toweled off her hair. She had just finished taking a long, hot shower and she felt much better after changing into a fresh pair of clothes.

She stood in front of a mirror and began to brush her hair. As she brushed her hair, she thought back to what Valerie had said to her and Glaceon a few moments ago. After saving them from the swarm of bird Pokémon, Valerie berated Glaceon and then rudely tossed her aside to the ground. The image of Valerie dropping Glaceon to the ground was implanted in May's mind. Every time she envisioned it, she would become angry. "Who does Valerie think she is, treating my Pokémon like that?!" she asked, angrily.

As May continued to ramble, she started to brush her hair more furiously. "She tells me I don't have a chance! I'm going to enjoy crushing her and her Pokémon in the contest! That'll teach her to treat my Pokémon like that!"

Suddenly, May felt a sharp pain in her scalp. She looked down at the brush and was shocked to see a large clump of her hair tangled in its bristles. She cleaned it out and immediately set it down on the sink. May took a deep breath. "I better go see Nurse Joy and check on my Pokémon," she sighed. She then gathered her things and walked out into the main hallway.

As she made her way towards the stairs, she couldn't help but think about her Glaceon. She guessed that Glaceon was already moping around downstairs, feeling terrible about how the training has been going. "_What am I going to do?_" she asked, herself. "_Glaceon is probably feeling even worse than she was yesterday. If I don't keep her spirits up, we really don't stand a chance in the contest._"

She wracked her brain trying to figure out a way to keep Glaceon's morale high, but she couldn't think of anything. "I don't know, maybe Ash knows what to do," she muttered. "Oh wait, he said he was heading to Oreburgh City! He probably won't be able to answer my calls."

May's thoughts were interrupted when she heard someone coughing loudly. She looked up and saw Jahan and his Croconaw walking around the corner. She quickly put aside her feelings and gave Jahan a smile. "Oh, hey Jahan!" she said. "How are you feeling?"

"Same as this morning...terrible," replied Jahan.

"Well," said May, "just be sure to get plenty of rest."

"Really?! Gee, I never thought about doing that!" Jahan replied, sarcastically, "Thanks doc! Clearly you are just a fountain of wisdom!"

May snapped. "Well fine!" she shouted, angrily. "If that's how you're going to act...!"

She then walked past Jahan and Croconaw and violently pushed them aside. "Whoa, whoa, hey! What's your problem?" Jahan asked, angrily.

"You! That's my problem!" snapped May. "Why is it that every time I say anything to you or give you some advice, you have to give me an attitude, huh?!" she screamed. "Can't you just say 'oh gee, thanks for the tip, May!' or 'thanks May! It's nice to know you care about me!' and be happy? Why is it that you always have to be such a jerk?!"

Just then, a door swung open from down the hallway, grabbing Jahan and May's attention. "Hey, keep it down!" shouted a voice. "Some of us are trying to sleep!" The person then slammed the door.

"Huh," said Jahan. "I forgot there are other trainers besides us."

He turned back to May. "Now what were you saying?" he asked, playfully.

"Oh! Forget it!" growled May. She then continued on her way, stomping her feet as she walked. "I don't have the patience to deal with you! It's bad enough that I had to deal with Valerie earlier today."

"Valerie?! The rich girl?" asked Jahan. "What did she do to make you so angry?"

"You wouldn't understand. It's a _coordinator_ thing."

"Awww, what did she do? Did she make fun of your hair or something?"

Jahan then noticed the still-visible cuts and scratches on May's arms and legs. "Actually, now that I think about it," he continued, "you were pretty beaten up. With those scratches, I'm guessing you and Valerie must have had one heck of fight."

"What, no!" denied May. "No, it wasn't like that."

"Actually, you were also dirty and covered in mud," continued Jahan.

"No!" May shouted, hastily. "Me and Valerie didn't get into any fight."

"Then what happened?" Jahan asked.

Suddenly, an idea flew into Jahan's head. He remembered how miserable Glaceon looked when she and the rest of May's Pokémon walked into the Pokémon Center. He put two-and-two together. "What did Valerie do to Glaceon?" he asked.

May suddenly bucked her head up and looked at him surprised. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "This has nothing to do with Glaceon."

"Come on May, did you really think I wouldn't notice a Pokémon that miserable?" replied Jahan. "She was practically dragging her ears along the ground. You told me a few days ago that your Pokémon mean a lot to you. So for you to be so angry at Valerie must mean she did something to Glaceon."

While Jahan and May continued talking, Harley was walking down the hallway perpendicular to the one Jahan and May were in. "Why should I tell you?" replied May, as she turned away from Jahan. "You're only going to laugh and call me a dumb coordinator."

Harley immediately stopped in his tracks when he heard May's voice. "Well maybe," Jahan replied. "But that doesn't mean I'm not worried about your Glaceon. There's no reason for a Pokémon to be that mopey. So if that girl really did do something to Glaceon, then I want to know."

Harley's intrigue went up even higher when he heard Jahan's voice. He slowly pressed himself up against the wall and quietly walked towards the corner. He carefully peered around the corner and saw Jahan and May talking to each other. He quickly snapped his head back out of sight and smirked. "Oh, this should be good," he muttered quietly.

May let out a tired sigh. "It's a long story," she said.

Jahan then slowly sat down on the floor, sitting up against the wall. "As you can see, I got nothing else to do," he replied.

May hesitated for a moment. She closely looked at Jahan's face. She could tell that Jahan was actually being sincere and was concerned for May's Pokémon. May took a deep breath and sat down next to Jahan. "Okay, this is what happened," began May.

May then told Jahan and Croconaw about Glaceon's training as of late, the birds suddenly attacking her and her Pokémon, Valerie rescuing them, and then Valerie berating her Pokémon and then tossing Glaceon to the ground. While May was talking to Jahan, Harley quietly stood behind the corner eavesdropping on their conversation.

"So that's what happened," finished May. "Glaceon's self-esteem took a big hit after our battle against Pryce. And these past few days haven't helped much either."

"So let me get this straight," replied Jahan. "First Froslass beats up Glaceon, then your Vespiquen, then a wild Exeggutor, then a bunch of birds, and then finally Valerie? Wow..."

"Yeah," replied May. "I don't know what to do now. It's getting harder and harder to cheer her up after every failure."

"It figures a coordinator wouldn't know what to do in this situation," said Jahan.

As tempting as it was for May, she fought the urge to smack Jahan in the face. Jahan continued. "The way I see it, you have two options. One: cut your losses and use a different Pokémon."

"No," May replied, hastily.

"Think about Glaceon for a moment. What if she loses the contest? That'll put her in a depression so deep, she'll never recover."

"That's assuming that she loses the contest."

"I haven't been given a reason to believe otherwise."

"I'm not going to give up on Glaceon, okay?! I know she could win the contest. It's just...I don't know what else I can do to keep her going."

Jahan watched as May suddenly slipped into self-loathing. "I...just don't know," sulked May, her voice lowering to a whimper. She then curled her legs up. Her knees were now pushing against her chest. "What else can I do to motivate her?"

As much as he hated to admit it, Jahan truly felt sorry for her. He could understand what she was going through. "Well if you're dead-set on using Glaceon, then all that leaves you with is option two, if you want to help Glaceon improve, you need to improve yourself first," he said.

"Improve myself? What do you mean?" May asked.

"One thing that's strange about you," began Jahan, "is that one moment you're angry and then the next you're anxious and doubting yourself. Glaceon, I imagine, is fired up one moment, but then when things don't go her way, she becomes anxious and starts doubting herself."

Jahan then raised an eyebrow. "Do you see the connection yet?" he asked.

"What...you think it's _my_ fault Glaceon's doubting herself?!" May asked, slightly insulted.

"Well my Pokémon never have any self-esteem issues. You know why? It's because I'm always fired up and ready for any battle! And even when things don't go the way I want them to, I don't dwell on it. I just move on and get ready for the next fight! And that reflects off onto my Pokémon! They never question whether or not if they're ready for this battle or not. They don't worry about the outcome! They just go out to the field and battle as hard as they can!"

"Yeah, but I tried..."

"And if any of them even think about failure, I make sure to smack that idea out of their heads! And I mean literally smack them, with a good swift backhander across the back of their head!"

"Wait, you want me to harm Glaceon?!" May asked, somewhat confused.

"No, what you need to do is snap Glaceon out of it," explained Jahan.

He then looked May right in the eye. Harley quietly squealed like a girl as he watched everything unfold. "You tried being nice, but now you need to get angry! And for that matter, so does Glaceon! She needs to stop being so angry at herself and channel that anger towards everyone else! You-you need to make her a hunter! A vicious stalker! One that looks across the battlefield and immediately wants to take her opponent out!"

"That sounds so...violent," commented May. "I can't do that with Glaceon."

"And that attitude is exactly why Glaceon has no self-confidence! Because you have no confidence in her and **you** don't have any confidence in yourself."

"I have confidence in myself! And I definitely have confidence with Glaceon!"

"Then prove it! Make her push herself! Make her get angry! Make her want to win!"

May broke eye contact and thought about his advice. With the way things were going, maybe she should take Jahan's advice to heart. "Maybe you're right Jahan," she said. "I think it's about time that Glaceon and I become more assertive."

May then stood up from where she was sitting. "Thanks for the tips Jahan," she said with a confident smile on her face.

"Anytime I guess," Jahan replied as he shrugged.

"Don't push yourself too hard," added May.

"Oh yeah, like I was going to...umm...I mean, I won't. Thanks."

May then walked away and headed towards the stairs to the Pokémon Center lobby. Hearing her footsteps coming, Harley quickly stood up and tried to act casual. "Oh hello May!" he said, as she passed by him.

"Hi Harley!" May said, casually. She then went down the stairs. "I'm just going to my room," Harley added, in hopes of keeping his eavesdropping a secret.

Harley grabbed his things, went around the corner, and walked down the hall where Jahan was being helped up onto his feet by Croconaw. "Need any help?" Harley asked.

"No, I think I got it," answered Jahan, as he slowly made his way back onto his feet.

Harley was about to continue on his way before Jahan stopped him. "Hey, hang on a minute!" he said. "You think you can help me with something?"

"Oh what is it?" Harley replied, impatiently.

Harley waited for Jahan to tell him something, but he said nothing. But suddenly, Jahan reared his head back and let out on huge sneeze towards Harley. Small bits of saliva and mucus flew right into Harley's face. He was horrified and disgusted. "OH! GROSS! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Harley asked, furiously.

"That was for eavesdropping!" replied Jahan as he wiped his nose. "You didn't think I noticed you hiding behind that corner?!"

Jahan and Croconaw then walked back to their room as Harley began to vigorously wipe his face against his sleeve. "Oh dear, now I'll have to wash my face ten-thousand times to rid myself of your disease!" he said, dramatically. "Mark my words! If you make me sick, I shall make you pay!"

Harley's threats fell deaf to Jahan's ears. He and Croconaw walked into their room as Harley panicked in the hallway.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**MEANWHILE...**

After the ordeal between May and the birds, Valerie, her Jolteon, and her servant Harold walked back to one of her family's vacation homes. It sat at the base of the rocky hills surrounding Mahogany Town. It was small (for Valerie's tastes anyway), but cozy enough for Valerie to make it her base of operations for her training in Mahogany Town.

As her four "Eeveevolutions" ate their dinner, she petted her Jolteon's head affectionately. "I'm so proud of you Jolteon," she said. "You displayed tremendous power and showed May just how pathetic she and her Pokémon are!"

She then turned towards her three other Pokémon. "You four are all very powerful, indeed. It'll be hard to pick just one of you for the Mahogany Town Contest. But I'm sure it won't matter. Regardless, the end result shall be the same. I shall win the Mahogany Town Ribbon and May shall be disgraced!"

Suddenly, Harold, who had been standing nearby, let out a cough as he cleared his throat. "Pardon me Miss Valerie," he said.

"Yes Harold?" she replied.

"Well, about what happened earlier with Miss May..."

"What about it?" Valerie asked. "I saved her, just as you suggested that I should."

"Y-Yes," stammered Harold, "and I am quite thankful that you chose to rescue Miss May when she was being attacked by those bird Pokémon."

"So what more is there to discuss?" Valerie asked. "You said we should save her, Jolteon and I did...that's all! End of story!"

"Well, what about what you said to her and her Glaceon afterwards?" asked Harold. "I feel as if you may have been a tad too crude with what you have said to her and her Glaceon."

"Oh Harold, that's all just in the spirit of the competition!" smiled Valerie. "You understand, don't you? I imagine you used to be a sporty type of man, so you must have surely talked down to your opponent before your competitions."

"Well, yes I'll admit to previously doing a bit of trash-talk, as they call it. But if there is one thing I never did," Harold said, fixing his tie, "It was physically abuse their Pokémon, much like how you mistreated Miss May's Glaceon, by throwing her to the ground."

Valerie's boastful expression suddenly disappeared from her face. She increasingly began to feel very annoyed at her servant. Harold noticed the change in her expression, but decided to continue. "To me, to treat one's Pokémon like that, regardless if he were a friend or rival, is utterly disrespectful and very un-sportsmanlike."

Valerie only rolled her eyes.

"I mean," continued Harold, "suppose if May were to pick up your Umbreon and she tossed it to the ground, not caring for its well-being. You would be quite furious, I imagine."

"No, I wouldn't be," Valerie answered in a matter-of-fact tone of voice. "Because Umbreon, as well as my other three Pokémon, would fight back should May ever do that to them."

She then fixed a stray hair from her face. "And quite honestly, that is far more than I can say for May's pitiful Glaceon. At least her other Pokémon, to their credit, would have tried to stand back up and retaliate in some way. But Glaceon chose to lie on the ground. Even she believes herself to be worthless."

Harold cleared his throat, as he prepared his retort. "All I am saying, Miss Valerie, is that I don't feel as if your actions and words are in the spirit of friendly competition. I feel as if you genuinely hate May as a person, not as a competitor."

Valerie then suddenly slammed her palms down onto the wooden table in front of her, scaring her Pokémon and Harold. She then swiftly turned towards Harold, glaring at him with a cold look in her eyes. "You have no idea of May's true intentions!" she shouted, angrily.

Harold could only stared at her, shocked at her sudden outburst. "Don't you see what she's trying to do?" continued Valerie. "She's trying to ruin me and take everything I worked so hard to gain! If she were to defeat me in the contest..."

Valerie's voice trailed off. She began mumbling to herself, but she then stopped immediately after she realized just how hysterical she was becoming. She looked up to her servant, and then turned around to her Pokémon. They were all surprised and confused by her actions. Valerie quickly took a deep breath and regained her composure. "But of course, that would never happen," she sighed happily. "My Pokémon can easily defeat anyone in the contest, especially May."

Valerie quickly turned to her Pokémon. "Right?" she asked. Her Pokémon quickly nodded their heads in agreement. Valerie then sat back down and ran her fingers through her hair. She breathed heavily through her nose. Harold grew worried for her mental state. "Miss Valerie," he said.

Valerie suddenly stood back up from her seat. "Harold, I believe the time for my evening bath is nearing," she said. "Could you please ready it for me as I get my evening wear?"

"But Miss Valerie, I..." stammered Harold.

Harold hesitated for a moment. He thought back to how she was acting only a few moments ago. He decided it would be best to drop the issue. "Yes my mistress, as you wish," he said to her.

"Good. Thank you," she replied.

She then walked into her room to retrieve her nightgown. Harold, meanwhile, walked towards the bathroom to prepare her bath. The four "Eeveevolutions" all looked at each other, still trying to figure out what had happened to their trainer. "_What in the world has gotten into Valerie?_" Harold thought to himself. "_She's never been this bad before. I'm guessing the stress of training for the next contest is getting to her...I really hope that's all it is._"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**NEXT MORNING...**

After an early morning breakfast, May and Drew walked back to the outskirts of Mahogany Town. "So Drew, where are you and Bayleef going to train today?" May asked.

"Wherever you and your Pokémon are going," answered Drew.

"Huh?" May asked, confused.

"After you told me what happened yesterday," explained Drew, "I thought it would be better if we stick together while we train, so that way if those bird Pokémon decide to come back, me and my Pokémon can help in fighting them off."

"Oh... I'm sure they won't come back," reassured May.

"Regardless, these last two days, something bad has happened and you've been unable to protect yourself. Well I'm not letting that happen again." said Drew, determined.

"Oh, so that's what this is about," teased May, flushing lightly.

Nevertheless, May agreed with Drew and figured it would be better for the two to stay close to one another.

As the two walked to the Lake of Rage, they struck up another conversation. "So, what are you going to do with Glaceon now?" Drew asked. "I imagine it's going to be tough to cheer her up this time."

May deeply sighed.

"It's...it's getting tough..." she groaned. "But I can't give up! I have to be confident and strong. And I mean 'really' confident and strong. That way, it'll rub off onto Glaceon! I tried being nice, but with the contest only being a few days away, we need to get serious!"

Drew was confused by May's ramblings. He had never heard May speak with so much spirit like this before. "Well, I hope that everything goes well for you today," he pitched in.

"We'll see," replied May. "Hopefully, the advice that Jahan gave me will help me out today."

Drew's eyes quickly bulged. He then quickly fixed his attention on May. "Jahan?!" he asked, bewildered. "You asked **him** for advice?! Why?!"

"I just needed some help with Glaceon," explained May, confused by Drew's sudden outburst. "Besides...I didn't know who else to turn to."

"What about me?" Drew asked, slightly hurt. "I mean, why would you ever trust what Jahan tells you?"

"I think he gave me some good advice for Glaceon. It seems to work on his Pokémon."

"Well...I just don't trust him. What if he's purposely telling you bad advice?"

"Why would he give me bad advice?" May asked.

"You know he doesn't like Coordinators. What's to stop him from giving you bad advice so that you'll fail and lose the contest?"

"Oh come on, I don't think Jahan would do something like that."

Drew then remembered his first encounter with Jahan back on the ferry heading to Cherrygrove City, when he lied to May and took credit for buying her a dress, when really Drew was the one who bought it for her. "How do you know?" he asked, still bewildered.

"I just think that maybe he's letting up a bit. Let me remind you that he did help me get to the Pokémon Center when I was hurt, and he also cheered for me after I defeated Pryce and he thanked me when I delivered his soup to his room."

Drew tried to come up with something to debate May's points, but his mind was drawing a blank. Despite what May had just said, he still couldn't fathom the idea of Jahan helping a Coordinator after he made his hate for them so apparent. "I still wouldn't trust him," Drew said coldly.

The air around them grew awkward as they continued walking.

Soon, they found a large open field near the Lake of Rage, where they decided to practice alongside one another. Drew and Bayleef stood off to one end, practicing their contest move, while May's team took over the other side of the field.

May reached into her bag and took out her Poké Balls. Before she released her Pokémon out into the open, May thought back to what Jahan had told her the day before.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

"_You tried being nice, but now you need to get angry! And for that matter, so does Glaceon! She needs to stop being so angry at herself and channel that anger towards everyone else!_

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

"_Okay, I have to really come down hard on Glaceon today,_" she thought. "_I have to be confident so that Glaceon will become confident. It's the only chance we have at being prepared for the next contest._"

May smiled confidently and then threw the Poké Balls up into the air. They opened up and her Pokémon appeared before her. Her Pokémon looked around, surprised by the pleasant scenery. May then turned towards Glaceon, who seemed to be a size smaller than she really was.

May then remembered some more of Jahan's advice.

"_Well my Pokémon never have any self-esteem issues. You know why? It's because I'm always fired up and ready for any battle! And even when things don't go the way I want them to, I don't dwell on it. I just move on and get ready for the next fight! And that reflects off onto my Pokémon!"_

Remembering those words, May shook her head and tried to focus on the matter at hand. She pumped her fist and rallied her Pokémon. "Okay everyone, I hope you're all wide awake!" she shouted, "because today's going to be another looong day of training!"

May then turned to Glaceon, who hunched over even more upon having her trainer's gaze upon her. "Okay Glaceon," May said, confidently. "I know that these past few days didn't turn out as good as we hoped. But we still have another four days ahead of us! And after the way Valerie treated you yesterday, we're not going to let her beat us again, right?!"

May could see that Glaceon still wasn't listening. She only glanced off into space. May continued to push on. "Come on, Glaceon!" May shouted, trying to get her Glaceon pumped. "It's time to get serious! The Mahogany Town Contest is in a few days and we need to make some serious progress!"  
"_Oh please. __If you two haven't made any real progress in the past couple of days, then what difference would it really make?_" chuckled Vespiquen.

Glaceon's mood soured even more after hearing Vespiquen's less-than-encouraging words. May saw this and she let out a frustrated sigh. Wartortle felt his trainer's frustrations. "_Come on Glaceon,_" he thought. "_Where's your head at?_"

May then kneeled down in front of Glaceon and swiftly grabbed her two front legs. She surprised everyone with her assertiveness. Glaceon suddenly focused her attention onto her trainer, who was now looking her eye-to-eye. "Glaceon...snap out of it," May said, sternly. "You need to stop sulking and pull yourself together! I don't want to lose Valerie again in another contest, especially not after the way she treated you yesterday!"

Glaceon visibly shook at the thought of what happened yesterday. She didn't want to say anything back. She tried to avert her gaze again, but May would have none of it. She pulled her sorrowful Ice-type Pokémon closer. "Glaceon, she threw you down into mud!" she stated. "Are you telling me that you don't care about that?"

"_N-n-no,_" stammered Glaceon.  
"Well then, don't you want to teach Valerie a lesson?"  
"Yes...o_f course. But-_"  
"But what? You can't get back at her if you keep sulking. Sulking is not going to get anything done!"  
"_I-I...I guess you're right,_" replied Glaceon.

Vespiquen only rolled her eyes as she watched May's attempts to boost Glaceon's self-confidence once again. "_This is just painful and sad to watch_," she sneered.

"Valerie threw you to the ground!" reminded May. "She treated you as if you were garbage! Are you really just going to let her get away with that?"  
"_N-no_," squeaked Glaceon.

"What's that?" May asked.  
"_No_," Glaceon repeated, this time with more confidence.  
"Think about it. Just imagine Valerie and her Pokémon laughing at you. They think you're weak and that you'll amount to nothing. Don't you want to prove them wrong?!"

At first, Glaceon said nothing. "Well?" May asked.  
"_Y-yes_," Glaceon replied softly.  
"Huh? I can't hear you," said May.  
"_Yes_," Glaceon said again, this time a little bit louder. "_I want to prove them both wrong!_"

Glaceon then held her head up higher and looked at her trainer dead in the eye. "_And I want to show them that I'm not as weak as they think I am!_" she said, proudly.

"Well then, why are you sulking then?!"

May flashed a smile, and quickly stood upright and pumped her fist. "Now you and I are going to keep training non-stop until you are a full-fledged contest Pokémon! Do you understand?!"

Glaceon nodded her head approvingly. "Good! Now let's begin!"

May turned to her Munchlax. "Munchlax, are you up for a bit of battling?" she asked.

"_Me battle Glaceon?_" Munchlax asked unsure. "_But we just had breakfast_..."

After a second of thought, accompanied by a glare from Quilava, he decided to battle Glaceon. May, Glaceon, and Munchlax walked out into the open, while the rest of May's team stood off to the side. May explained the training exercise to both of her Pokémon.

"So here's our first exercise," she began, "Glaceon, I want you to be prepared for whatever move the opponent may throw at us. You and I are going to battle Munchlax together. And Munchlax, all I want you to do is use Metronome over and over again."

"_Hmm?_" Munchlax asked, confused.

"Whenever you use Metronome," explained May, "it gives you the ability to use a random move. Since Glaceon won't know what's move you're going to unleash, she'll have to react quickly to avoid whatever attack is coming."

May then spoke to Glaceon. "What do you think, Glaceon?" she asked. "You think you can do it?"

Before Glaceon could even say something, May interrupted her. "Oh what am I saying? Of course you can! Nothing can stop you!"

"_Well except for me, an Exeggutor, a Pidgey and its family_..." Vespiquen rambled.

May decided ignored the sarcastic comment. She pointed her finger towards the battlefield. "Alright you two! Let's go!" she commanded. "Munchlax, you go first!"

"_Okay,_" muttered Munchlax. "_Here goes nothing._"

Munchlax's fingers began to glow as he waved them back and forth. May and Glaceon anxiously waited for Munchlax's attack. "_Come on Glaceon, focus!_" Glaceon thought to herself. "_This time, for sure, I'm going to win! And I'm not going to disappoint May!_"

Eventually, Munchlax stopped waving his fingers and suddenly, he spat out a huge stream of fire from his mouth. "Oh no, Flamethrower!" May shouted. "Glaceon, watch out!"

Glaceon quickly leapt to the side, avoiding the nasty fire attack. "Now counter with Tackle!" May shouted.

Glaceon lunged at Munchlax and charged headfirst into his sternum. Munchlax tumbled a few feet backwards. "Nice one, Glaceon!" May shouted, happily.

"_Come on Munchlax!_" shouted Quilava, as she watched the battle from the sidelines. "_You're not this out of practice, are you?_"

Munchlax ignored the friendly jeers and focused on the battle. His fingers glowed brightly again, ready to let chance decide his next move. "Glaceon, stop Munchlax with Ice Shard!"

Glaceon heard her trainer's command. Despite May's wish for her to use Ice Shard, Glaceon thought back to her late-night training with Wartortle and thought it would be better to try and learn Ice Beam. She concentrated hard on creating one long beam instead of several shards of ice. She opened her mouth and attempted to launch an Ice Beam. Unfortunately, all she managed to conjure up was longer version of her Ice Shard attack.

Before the attack could make its mark, Munchlax's Metronome was completed. He suddenly jumped high up into the air, dodging the Ice Shard attack. Everyone gasped as Munchlax soared towards the air. But he didn't stay up for long. Munchlax began to descend rapidly towards Glaceon. He was using Stomp!

Glaceon saw Munchlax falling towards her and she quickly stepped off to the side. She narrowly avoided being crushed by Munchlax. "Good, Glaceon!" May shouted. "Keep it up!"  
"_Oh goodness_," groaned Vespiquen, as she rolled her eyes.

The battle between Glaceon and Munchlax raged on. Glaceon continued throwing Ice Shard attacks, with the hope of one of them being an Ice Beam. Meanwhile, Munchlax retaliated with constant uses of Metronome, which in turn allowed him to use various different moves, from Close Combat to DragonBreath to Earthquake to even Blizzard!

Everyone enjoyed the battle greatly. They all were happy to see Glaceon doing well against Munchlax. Well, all except Vespiquen. She continued to loathe Glaceon and everyone's constant pandering of her. She hovered closer to Blaziken, who was also focused on the battle.

"_So you all are really going to ignore me?_" she asked. "_You're still going to hopelessly pander Glaceon in some vain hope to lift her spirits?_"

"_Well, she's doing rather well so far in this battle,_" commented Blaziken.

"_Isn't that how her previous battles went as well?_" Vespiquen asked. "_Sure, she's fine now, but given her current track record, I doubt anything will change with this battle_."

On the battleground, Munchlax struck Glaceon in the face with massive glowing claws (Dragon Claw). "Oh no!" gasped May, as Glaceon tumbled away from Munchlax. "_Ah ha! See what I mean?_" boasted Vespiquen.

Glaceon slowly picked herself up. Munchlax's Dragon Claw attack left some serious bruises on her face. "Are you okay, Glaceon?" May asked.

Glaceon shook her head, trying to brush off the attack. She regained her composure and got herself ready to battle again. "Well alright then! Use Ice Shard!" ordered May.

Glaceon opened her mouth and prepared to launch another Ice Shard attack at Munchlax. But as she was firing her attack, everyone was surprised to see that instead of firing several icy hard projectiles, she instead shot out a long beam of ice-cold energy! Everybody gasped, even Vespiquen. Munchlax was so awestruck that he didn't even bother to dodge the attack. He took the Ice Beam attack head-on.

"D-Did Glaceon just use Ice Beam?" May asked. Once Glaceon had realized it, she and Wartortle couldn't help but smile. "_Yes! She did it!_" cheered Wartortle. "_She finally used Ice Beam!_"

Everyone cheered alongside Wartortle...with the exception of Vespiquen. In fact, Vespiquen was still in shock to see Glaceon using Ice Beam. She could feel a blanket of cold air blow, making her shiver. Blaziken turned towards her. "_So what was that about Glaceon not changing?_" he boasted. That remark only resulted in making Vespiquen furious.

"Glaceon, that was amazing!" May shouted, happily.

Glaceon was so delighted! It seemed that all that late-night training with Wartortle was finally paying off. Glaceon looked across the battlefield and saw Munchlax slowly getting back up on his feet. "Okay, Glaceon! Use Ice Beam again!"

Glaceon confidently stood her ground and launched another attack at Munchlax. But she didn't fire an Ice Beam! Instead, she only fired several icy projectiles. Everyone was disappointed to see Glaceon failing to conjure up another Ice Beam (except for...you know). "What?! W-What happened?!" May asked, nervously.  
"_No!_" panicked Glaceon.  
"_Ah, come on! She just had it!_" groaned Wartortle.

Munchlax quickly avoided the Ice Shard attack and started another Metronome attack. This time, Metronome granted Munchlax the move Shadow Ball. Munchlax formed a black ball of energy in between his stubby hands and threw it towards Glaceon. "Quick! Counter with your own Shadow Ball!" May shouted.

Glaceon hurriedly formed a dark shadowy sphere and fired it towards Munchlax's Shadow Ball. The two Shadow Balls collided with one another and exploded, cancelling each other out. "Don't give up!" shouted May. "Use Ice Beam again! I know you can do it! You did it once before!"

The battle raged on. Munchlax continued to use Metronome. Glaceon tried hard to use Ice Beam again, but all she could do was use Ice Shard. This frustrated her immensely. "_Why can't I do an Ice Beam again?_" Glaceon asked herself. "_I know I can do it! But why can't I?!_"

As Munchlax and Glaceon continued to spar, on the other side of the field, Drew was training his Bayleef. He was trying to teach Bayleef a new contest move, a move in which Bayleef would use her Vine Whip to whip at the leaves created by her Razor Leaf attack.

Bayleef looked up towards the sky. She then swung her head around and around in a circle, firing a fury of sharp leaves. While she spun her head, she extended two dark green vines from her neck and whipped them forward rapidly. She tried to hit some of the leaves, but she had a difficult time hitting the small leaves.

As Bayleef struggled with the move, Drew stood by lost in a train of thought. He couldn't help but think about the conversation he had with May in the morning and what May said about Jahan. "_There's no way that Jahan's letting up,_" he thought. "_He's still the same rude and self-centered jerk he always was. Sure, he's done a few nice things for May. But I have a feeling that he's just trying to manipulate her._"

Drew was so deep in thought, he didn't notice Bayleef walking up to him. "_I don't get how May can be nice to him. He blamed her for Tyranitar begin taken by Team Galactic, he always badmouths her even when she's doing something nice for him..._"

He was suddenly interrupted when Bayleef lightly whipped him on his forehead with a Vine Whip. "Hey!" scolded Drew, as he regained his focus. "What was that for?"

Bayleef only pouted at him. She then nodded her head towards the field, reminding her trainer on why the two were there. "Oh right, the contest!" remembered Drew. "Sorry Bayleef, I was just thinking of something that happened this morning."

Drew decided to forget about Jahan and return his attention to training. "Okay, let's try it again Bayleef!" he shouted. "Ready?"

Before the two could go on, they suddenly jumped at the sound of a loud explosion. The sound was so loud, wild Pokémon living around the area fled in horror. "What was that?!" Drew asked, startled. Drew and Bayleef quickly turned around and saw a large cloud of dust covering May's side of the field. "May!" Drew shouted. They wasted no time bolting towards the explosion.

They began coughing as they got closer to the blast zone. Drew desperately tried to wave the smoke away. "May? Where are you?!" he shouted.

He could hear the sound of someone coughing. He explored his surroundings and spotted May laying face down on the ground. He immediately ran to her side. "May, are you alright?" he asked, worriedly.

"Yeah, I think so," coughed May. Drew then helped May up onto her feet. May brushed herself off of dirt and debris. "Well, aren't you happy that I'm around this time to help you?" joked Drew.

Drew turned to where May's Pokémon were battling. He saw Munchlax lying face-up on the ground, entirely grey as if a searing ember had torched his body. Glaceon was nearby, in a similar condition to Munchlax. "What happened this time?" Drew asked, curiously.

"Well," coughed May. "Glaceon and Munchlax were battling and I told Munchlax to keep using Metronome, so that Glaceon could be ready for anything. I guess that last Metronome gave Munchlax Explosion."

The two trainers could hear Munchlax wheezing a bit and coughing up smoke. May also noticed that her other Pokémon had been knocked out by the attack. "That must have been quite a blast," she said.

"It certainly was," answered Drew. "The sound was extremely loud. A lot of wild Pokémon ran away in the confusion."

May and Drew could see that Glaceon and Munchlax were not in any condition to continue with their battle. "So...I guess now's a good time to break for lunch...hehe." chuckled May, nervously.

"_O...Okay,_" wheezed Munchlax, "_But somebody has to help me up_."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

After regaining consciousness, May's Pokémon joined Drew's Pokémon for lunch. Fortunately, May's Pokémon (excluding Glaceon and Munchlax) weren't seriously hurt from Munchlax's Explosion. Glaceon was hurt badly, but she managed to recover after May healed her wounds with a Super Potion. Munchlax, on the other hand, was still feeling the effects of using Explosion and nothing that May did made him feel any better. Even giving him extra food did little to perk Munchlax up (although he was thankful).

May and Drew ate boxed lunches that they bought at the Mahagony Town Poké Mart while their Pokémon sat around them eating their bowls of food. As they ate, May told Drew about Glaceon's brief use of Ice Beam. "It was amazing!" praised May. "It's the first time I've seen Glaceon making some progress! Now she just needs to be able to do it whenever she wants."

The Pokémon could all hear what their trainers were saying. Glaceon couldn't help but smile as she heard her trainer praising her. "Well at least you're making some kind of progress," Drew groaned.

"Still no luck with Bayleef?" asked May.

"I know she's trying really hard to master the move, but...I don't know. I would think by now she would be able to hit at least some of the leaves. I don't know if Bayleef will be ready by the time the contest comes around."

Quilava turned towards her friend Bayleef, who only looked away, angry and embarrassed. Quilava couldn't help but feel bad for her.

"Don't give on her yet," advised May. "I'm sure Bayleef will get the hang of it soon and in time for the contest."

May then perked her head up. She suddenly remembered something. "Wait a second!" she exclaimed. "I think I can help you! I remember when I was on a ferry ride going to a contest in Izabe Island, I was teaching my Bulbasaur the same contest move you're trying to teach Bayleef. Maybe I can bring Bulbasaur back and have him teach your Bayleef how to do the move."

Bayleef's head sunk deeper towards the ground, much to Roselia's delight. It wasn't easily seen, but Bayleef was becoming more and more irritated. "_Take it easy, Bayleef_," Quilava told her friend.

"That's actually a good idea," agreed Drew. "Maybe if other Pokémon could help Bayleef and show her what it takes to master a contest move..."

"_I don't need any help!_" snapped Bayleef.

Bayleef's sudden outburst shocked everyone. She had turned her food bowl over in her anger. "Bayleef, what's wrong?!" May asked, worriedly.

"What's going on with you, Bayleef?!" questioned Drew.

"_I don't want any help!_" Bayleef continued shouting. "_I can do this by myself! I know I can!_"

And then, with a loud frustrated growl, Bayleef walked away from the other Pokémon and she stepped out into the field. "Bayleef, wait!" shouted Drew. Drew quickly placed his lunch next to May and he then chased after Bayleef. Bayleef stopped a few feet away from her team. She then snapped her head back and forth, sending a furry of razor-sharp leaves into the air. She then tried using her Vine Whip to whip the airborne leaves, but to no avail. "Bayleef, stop! You haven't even finished lunch!" pleaded Drew.

But Bayleef refused to listen to her trainer and she continued to train. May and the Pokémon were surprised, confused, and a bit shocked at what just happened. "That was weird," May said, as she watched Drew trying to calm Bayleef down. Nonetheless, she decided to finish up her lunch.

Wartortle turned to Glaceon and padded her on the head. "_That Ice Beam you created back there,_" he said, "_It was amazing! I knew you could do it._"

"_Indeed, now if only Glaceon could actually do it again, then I would be impressed_," sneered Vespiquen.

"_That would be nice if you could master it and be able to do it whenever you want_," Munchlax said, meekly.

"_I'm sure she can do it,_" Wartortle said. "_I mean I picked up on it easily. Actually, as a matter of fact..._"

Wartortle then turned to Blaziken. Blaziken noticed Wartortle grinning evilly and felt a bit uneasy. "_Yes?_" he asked.

"_You know,_" said Wartortle. "_I remember back in Blackthorn City, you and I were training. And..._"

"_No!_" interrupted Blaziken, knowing exactly where the conversation was going. "_I am not dressing up as a Garchomp again!_"

"_Oh come on! It would really help Glaceon_," pleaded Wartortle.

"_I don't care. I'm not doing it,_" objected Blaziken. "_Besides, I torched that get-up back in Blackthorn City after we were done using it_."

"_Well that's alright,_" said Glaceon. "_I just have to keep practicing over and over again until I get it._"

"_Oh yes! I can just imagine that that's all it would take to win the contest,_" Vespiquen replied, in a sarcastic tone.

Wartortle could feel a vein popping in his head. He had enough of Vespiquen's constant berating of Glaceon. "_Okay, really Vespiquen, what's your problem?!_" he asked, angrily.

"_I believe I have told you all what my issue is with Glaceon!_" argued Vespiquen. "_But it figures that you didn't listen to me, or you simply cannot comprehend my argument!_"

"_You said it was because you didn't think Glaceon would be ready in time for the contest_," continued Wartortle. "_Well, did you see what happened earlier?! Glaceon finally got to use Ice Beam._"

"_Yes, she did. And although the power of said attack was quite impressive, she was unable to do it again for the remainder of the battle,_" reminded Vespiquen.

"_But she's improving!_" rebutted Wartortle.

"_It's not good enough to convince me that she'll be ready in time for the contest_."

Wartortle shook his head disapprovingly. "_I know what this is really about. You're still jealous that May picked Glaceon and not you!_" he continued. "_Look, just accept it! May wants to use Glaceon for the contest and not you! Now stop being jealous and just get over it already!_"

"_Again with that jealously argument!_" snapped Vespiquen, throwing her food back into her bowl, followed by a frustrated sigh.

"_Well, what else could it be?_" asked Wartortle. "_You said before it was because Glaceon's not ready yet, but I think you're still angry at May for not picking you! Hey, I wasn't picked either, and neither was wasn't Munchlax or Blaziken or Quilava, but you don't hear any of us complaining!_"

"_Indeed. Instead, you've all become suck-ups!_" shouted Vespiquen. "_You especially! When did you become her life coach?! You essentially did the same thing I was doing at first. You belittled Glaceon's horrendous battle against Pryce's Froslass. Like myself, you looked only at the facts, and for that I had some amount of respect for you. But then suddenly out of nowhere, you become the opposite of what you were and now you're Glaceon's best companion!_"

"_Well, I...y-yes,_" stammered Wartortle. "_Yes, I did say that. But..._"

"_You were once the most boastful Pokémon in the team,_" reminded Vespiquen.

"_Well...I realized that I was wrong to do that,_" answered Wartortle. "_I saw how upset Glaceon was about losing, so I decided to change the way I was acting and help her get better and stronger. But this isn't about me or Glaceon! Fact is, you're just jealous because suddenly the world's not revolving around you anymore._"

"_Oh, for the love of..._"

Vespiquen then turned to the rest of May's team. _"You've all been duped and blinded by this pathetic little angst-fest!_" she ranted. Glaceon hid behind Wartortle, as Vespiquen continued. "_She loses one battle and you all suddenly shower this mopey, untalented baby constantly with unwarranted praise and shameless pandering! You don't realize that unless something changes, she will ultimately fail in the end!_"

"_Awww, is the little prima-donna mad because no one's paying any attention to her?_" taunted Wartortle.

"_You're calling me a prima-donna?!_" barked Vespiquen.

May had just finished her lunch when she saw Wartortle and Vespiquen in each other's face having an intense argument with each other. "Oh no," she muttered. She got up and walked over to her team to try and break them apart. "Okay, that's enough! Break it up you two!" she scolded, as she pried them apart. "What's going on now?!"

"_Oh, why bother explaining?!_" replied Vespiquen. "_It's not as if you'll care to listen!_"

"_Vespiquen's trying to fight a fight again because she's jealous_," said Wartortle.

"_Oh please! That is not the case at all!_" argued Vespiquen. "_You simply have no retort to my argument, therefore you label me as nothing but a jealously driven twit!_"

"Really Vespiquen?! Are you **still** mad that I didn't choose you?" May asked, angrily.

"_All I am saying is that none of this would be happening if you have picked someone competent instead_!" said Vespiquen.

"_Oh, let me guess, you would have been a more competent choice instead of Glaceon?!_" argued Wartortle.

"_As a matter of fact, yes! Yes, I would have been the better choice!_" retorted Vespiquen.

"Okay, that's it! I've had it with you and your attitude!" shouted May. May looked Vespiquen in the eye. "Get over yourself already! I don't want to use you in the contest! Stop trying to prove that you're a better choice than Glaceon, because you're not! And even if I didn't pick Glaceon, I wouldn't have picked you anyway! I would have picked anyone else **but **you!"

Everyone was shocked when May said those words. They looked over towards Vespiquen and were surprised to see something they never thought they would see from her. Vespiquen landed on the ground, completely speechless, mouth agape, with tiny tears beginning to form in her eyes.

May noticed this and couldn't believe it at first. Vespiquen wasn't one to have her feelings so easily. "Look Vespiquen, I-"

Vespiquen didn't care to listen. She flew past May (resisting the urge to retaliate with a Fury Cutter to the cheek) and went directly to May's bag. She found her Poké Ball, pressed the button on the center, and retreated back into her Poké Ball. "Vespiquen, wait!" pleaded May. May stumbled over to her bag and picked up Vespiquen's Poké Ball. "Vespiquen, come on! I'm-I'm sorry! I just...Vespiquen, please! Come out!"

But Vespiquen stayed in her Poké Ball, refusing to come out. May was now starting to regret what she had just said. "_Wow...I don't think I have ever seen Vespiquen so...upset,_" said Munchlax. "_I actually feel a little sorry for her_."

Roselia only shook her head disapprovingly. Drew's Pokémon then decided to go over to Drew's side of the field. May just stood there with Vespiquen's Poké Ball in her hands. "_So what are you going to do?_" Blaziken asked. "_I think Vespiquen really was hurt by what you said._"

There was a long silence as May tried to think of what to do next. "Okay, I guess there's no point in trying," May finally said. "Vespiquen won't bother to listen to me if I release her again. I should just let her calm down and then talk to her later."

May sat Vespiquen's Poké Ball next to her bag and turned back to the rest of her team. "Alright Glaceon! Let's get back to training!"

However, Glaceon didn't think it was right to continue training. She felt bad for Vespiquen. Had she been the one being scolded by May in front of everyone...

"Hey, don't worry about Vespiquen," May said to her Glaceon, breaking her train of thought. "Just give her some time and she and I will talk this out later. But right now, you and I have a contest to get ready for! So let's get focused!"

May then led Glaceon back out onto the field. Her other Pokémon worried about Vespiquen, but eventually they managed to get it out of their minds. "Okay Glaceon, so earlier today you managed to pull off an Ice Beam attack," said May. "Now, I'm going to put you in another battle. But this time, we're going to concentrate on you being able to use Ice Beam whenever you want. With enough practice, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it."

Glaceon nodded her head approvingly. "_Well, at least Glaceon isn't sulking anymore,_" thought May. "_That's good._"

May then turned to the rest of her team. "Now let's see, who I get to battle you this time?" she asked. "Obviously, Vespiquen is out of the question. And Munchlax's done enough for today. Hmmmm..."

Wartortle then realized something. "_If I battle Glaceon, then she can get an idea on how to use Ice Beam_," he thought."_She and I have been training together for a while now. She would be comfortable with battling me._"

Wartortle then began to jump around with his hand raised in the air. It was hard for May to ignore him. "Really, Wartortle? You want to help Glaceon?" she asked. "I don't know."

May thought about it for a moment. "Well, you do know Ice Beam. So maybe Glaceon can learn better if you used Ice Beam against her."

"_Exactly!_" agreed Wartortle.

"Okay then, it's settled. It'll be you against Glaceon, one-on-one."

Wartortle then made his way to the field, standing opposite from Glaceon. While he made his way to his side, he quickly whispered something to Glaceon. "_Remember, it's just like how we passed_," he said softly. Glaceon then nodded her head and got herself ready for battle.

Wartortle quickly assumed his battle stance. "Alright, ready?" May asked. "And...Glaceon, use Ice Beam!"

Glaceon focused on harassing all her energy towards an Ice Beam, but all she could conjure up was Ice Shard, which Wartortle dodged easily. "_Come on Glaceon! Focus!_" he shouted. "_Like this!_"

Wartortle then opened his mouth and shout out a long Ice Beam towards Glaceon. Glaceon was hit and she was sent tumbling. "_Um, I was hoping you would dodge that_," muttered Wartortle.

"Glaceon, are you alright?" May asked, worriedly.

Glaceon wasted no time getting back onto her feet. "Alright then, let's try it again! Use Ice Beam!" Glaceon again, tried to use Ice Beam, but all she could do was Ice Shard. The battle went on with Wartortle and Glaceon using Ice Beam and Ice Shared respectively.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Back at the Pokémon Center, Jahan was waking up from one of many naps he took that day. For the past two days, he remained in his room at the Pokémon Center, still sick with a cold. Nurse Joy was at his bedside, checking up on his health. He sat up to let her take his temperature.

"Just a few more seconds," Nurse Joy said. Then she took the thermometer out of Jahan's mouth and checked the temperature. "Oh wow! Your body temperature is almost back to normal!" she said, happily.

"Yeah, and I don't feel quite as terrible as I was a few days ago," added Jahan.

"And you're not coughing as much. At this rate, you should be all better by tomorrow!"

"That is great news. I'm tired of being cooped up in here."

Just then, there was a loud knocking at the door. "Who is it?" Nurse Joy asked. They responded by furiously pounding the door. "I'll get it," Nurse Joy said.

She got up from her seat and opened the door. "Yes?" she asked.

She was surprised to see that on the other side was Harley. Harley then forced the door open and Harley stomped his way inside. "You!" he shouted indignantly and furiously, as he pointed his finger at Jahan.

"What do you want?!" Jahan asked, annoyed. Then, he noticed that Harley's purple hair was a mess and he was still wearing his Cacturne pajamas. In addition, his eyes were red and he had a running nose. "Wow, you look terrible," Jahan said. "Do yourself a favor and get some sleep."

Jahan was about to bury himself in his bed, but Harley then lunged at him. "Why you little!" he roared, as he reached out and went for his neck. He tackled Jahan to the ground and the two started thrashing around on the floor as Jahan tried to fight him off. "When I get my hands on you...!" shouted Harley.

"Get off me, you psycho!" cried Jahan.

"Boys, boys! Knock it off!" scolded Nurse Joy, as she tried to pry Harley off Jahan.

Croconaw only shook his head as he watched the two trainers fight on the floor like children. Determined to settle things, Croconaw sprayed the two with a harsh Water Gun attack.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

**A/N**: Whoo! And I'm finally done! I want to give a HUGE thank you to RagingDragon04 for helping to beta-read this chapter and for moving production along! And thank you all so, so much for being patient with me. Now all you have to do is wait another two years for the next chapter!

I'm kidding. God, I hope it doesn't take that long to get the next chapter out. Just hang in there! We're almost at the Mahogany Town Contest and Glaceon's Johto contest debut! I plan on wrapping up the training in two more chapters! Trust me, I'm sick and tired of being in Mahogany Town as you guys probably are!

Hopefully, this has wet your appetites for more!

**NEXT TIME:** So it finally seems like everything is coming up Glaceon! After using Ice Beam for a brief moment, May and Glaceon are determined to master it, as well as master another move May has planned for Glaceon.

And after spending two days at the Pokémon Center, Jahan's finally able to walk around and enjoy the fresh air. He walks in on May training, and the two decide to have a battle! Will Glaceon keep her high spirits? Will she able to win this battle and grow stronger?

Will that rub off on Bayleef, who is still having trouble with her Razor Leaf-Vine Whip combo? Can Bayleef stay calm and focus on mastering it? And what about things between Vespiquen and May?

Find out this and more in the next soul-crushing chapter of "Pokémon: Contest Chronicles!"


End file.
